


The Crimson Orb

by hilandmum



Series: The Crystal Series [2]
Category: None - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-08-04
Updated: 2011-08-03
Packaged: 2017-10-22 05:00:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 72,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/234073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hilandmum/pseuds/hilandmum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Nissa and Blane set out to find out what happened to their mentor and friends Madoc, they had no idea what they would find.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Crimson Orb

Title: The Crimson Orb  
Author: hilandmum  
Written for: NaNoWriMo 2010

Chapter 1.

Sitting on a bench in my favorite corner in the vegetable garden, I could watch the boys at their morning practice with my father. My brother Blane, nineteen years old and blond like Father, was easily besting the Duke's son Kerr, as he usually did.

Hettie, my favorite of the pure black cats that inhabited the manor, jumped up on my lap, licked a paw, then curled up and promptly fell asleep. It was that kind of Summer day, when you didn't want to do anything, just sit in the shade of the old apple tree. Except, I would have loved to be out there learning to use a sword like Blane, Kerr, and my other brother Donal were.

But it wasn't seemly for a mere girl to sword fight. We were relegated to the sewing room, where Jannet, the governess and seamstress, taught us the fine art of needlepoint. Only I couldn't sew a straight line to save myself, and I really wasn't interested in learning. Our only other lessons were in the kitchens, where Cook (I think her name was Bridey but no one ever called her anything but 'Cook', not even her husband) taught us to boil an egg and make soup of whatever was available. That wasn't so bad, because we could eat what we made and no one else was the wiser when it tasted awful.

Blane won his match, and now Donal was dueling with Adair, the Duke's younger son. I watched them closely, hoping I could learn in that way, if not by actually using a sword. Mind you, these were short practice swords, not meant to do much damage. Donal appeared to be doing much better than I'd seen in the past.

I was startled by someone sitting down next to me on the bench. It was Madoc, the manor's resident wizard. I never heard him coming, and yet suddenly he was there, like magic, which was what he wanted everyone to believe.

"Donal has improved, hasn't he?" he asked. Madoc hadn't lost the accent revealing he came from the East Islands. You would think a wizard would do something about that.

"Yes. His movements are more..." I strove to find the right word. "...more fluid."

"He's learned how to become one with his sword," Madoc said. "Notice how Adair has to work to make the sword do what he wants, but Donal lets his sword go where it should."

I turned to him. "Did you teach him that?" I asked.

"Your brothers both have some magical talent, an understanding of how to connect with everything around him," Madoc explained. "I just helped Donal to recognize and use that."

"Oh," I said. As much as I wished they'd let me learn to use a sword, even more I would have loved to study magic with Madoc.

He'd come to the manor when I was eight, I think. The Duke's previous wizard was getting old and the Duke wanted a younger man to take his place, although I doubt he expected a lad of sixteen or seventeen. Yet Madoc had shown his abilities on several occasions, despite his youth, and provided lessons to the boys who were interested in his art.

Now, eight years later, he was part of our lives, and no one questioned his ability.

“Why aren't you in the sewing room with Morna and the other girls?” he asked.

“I hate sewing,” I said. I hesitated about going on, but the need to tell someone who might help make it happen was too strong. “I would rather learn to sword fight and do magic.” There, I'd said it.

Rather than respond to the last part of my statement, he asked, “Why do you hate to sew?”

I think I shrugged. At any rate I told him, “I'm not very good at it.”

“Do you hate it because you're not good at it, or can't you do it well because you hate it?”

That was a question I'd never considered. “Do you think that, if I liked sewing and thought it would somehow be useful for me, I'd be better at it?”

Then he really surprised me. “Nissa, you probably have as much magical ability as Blane and Donal.” He stopped long enough for that comment to sink in. “Just as your brothers use it to guide a sword arm, you can learn to use it to improve your sewing.”

I swallowed. “Would you teach me?” I dared to ask. “I mean, show me how, as you've shown them.”

He stared at me for so long that I was afraid he was preparing to say 'no', but then he surprised me one more time by saying, “Meet me in my rooms this afternoon when the boys return here for sword practice, and we'll see how good a pupil you can be.”

I thought I would burst with happiness. Madoc was going to teach me to do magic, or rather how to use it!

“I'll be there!” I said. He laughed at my grin, but it was a friendly laugh.

The cat woke just then and jumped back off my lap. “Well, I guess I'd better get back to Jannet before anyone misses me, not that I think they care.”

I could feel his eyes on me as I walked off. I guess it was more of a skip than a walk. But my good mood dissipated when I entered the room where my fourteen-year-old sister Morna and a few other girls sat at two tables, hemming the cloth napkins they would be embroidering.

“Narissa Day, where have you been?” Jannet asked, her broad accent deepening with her annoyance. Few people called me by my full name, but usually it was used to scold me.

“I...I needed some air,” I replied. It was true that this room was stuffy. Lint from the linen cloth we worked with hung in the still air and you could actually see it when the light came through the two tiny East windows early in the morning.

“Well, you're falling behind. Morna, show your sister what she's to do,” Jannet instructed.

“Yes, M'am,” Morna said, smiling her usual radiant smile. She still hadn't outgrown the sprinkle of freckles across her nose and her bright red hair cascaded over her shoulders. You had to smile with Morna whenever you looked at her.

For the next hour or so, I worked diligently at hemming large squares of cloth under Jannet's critical eye, hoping that my lesson with Madoc in the afternoon would make this task much more pleasant in the future. The minutes ticked away slowly on the old hourglass Jannet used to time our work. I'm sure you've guessed that I was always the last to finish.

Well, this time, though last, when I finished, my hems were more or less straight and my stitches were even smaller and more even than Larena's. She was the Duke's daughter, and the second worst seamstress after me.

“Verrrry well, ladies. You may all wash up and go to luncheon,” Jannet said.

We stood up and then trooped out toward the dining hall, stopping at the trough just outside to rinse off our hands before we ate. The hall was already filling up. The boys, hungry after their exertions on the practice field, were lined up to get their food. I just hoped they'd leave something for the rest of us.

At dinner, Cook and her staff came out of the kitchens and served us all platters of meats and cheeses and fruit, but luncheon was a more casual affair. All the food was on a trestle table along one side of the room and we took our plates over to select what we wanted to eat.

As I stood waiting my turn, I saw Madoc already seated at a table with my parents and the Duke and Duchess. Lord Graham, who was visiting from south of the capital city of Arris for a fortnight, was also at their table. I suppose you'd consider Holm Manor and the village of Holmdale a backwater. It certainly wasn't the largest town in the realm. Mother occasionally took us to Dunswell to visit relatives and to see the ruins there, and to me it seemed too large and too noisy. I very much liked it here in the country, although occasionally, after reading one of the books Glynis gave me, I longed for romance and adventure.

“Stop daydreaming,” Glynis said now. “Let's see what the boys have left us.” Tall, willowy with long blond hair, Glynis was my best friend. I knew I should have told her what Madoc had promised, but I wanted to keep it my secret for a little while. I didn't think she'd understand, just as she didn't understand why I didn't want to learn to cook or sew or even how to fix my mousy brown hair the way she did.

I filled my plate with dark bread and butter, carrots that I knew had come out of the garden that morning, and some of the fish that Lord Graham had brought with him and Cook had smoked. It was rare for us to have any fish, but the boys had ignored it, preferring cold, sliced meat from last nights roast, so there was plenty, and I liked it.

I sat down with Glynis and Morna and the other girls at one end of a long table, and I ate while the others chatted about the latest gossip, and about the boys. Honestly, I didn't care if Cook's assistant, Elin, was seen with the Duke's man, Rhain, near the stables, or how cute Kerr was, with his long blond lashes and piercing blue eyes. As far as I was concerned, Kerr was an arrogant and not very bright young man.

After luncheon, we returned to the sewing room for an hour. Jannet spent the first twenty minutes explaining the stitches and colors of thread we were to use for our napkins. They'd be for autumn use, and so would depict the leaves and their changing colors, burnt umbra, red orange, rust, and gold.

My first attempt was disastrous, but the second was at least recognizable as a leaf. I couldn't wait until Jannet set us free for an hour before our next lesson with cook. I stuffed my threads and needles in their box, and quickly folded my napkins before rushing out without a word to any of the others.

I'd never been to Madoc's chambers before, although I knew where they were at one end of a long, drafty hallway towards the back of the manor. The odors emanating from the rooms were acrid and yet tantalizing. I knocked on the heavy wooden door. It creaked when he opened it.

“Come in,” he said. “I was just brewing some tea. Will you have some?”

“I...I thought it was some kind of magical potion,” I said.

“Well, tea does have magical properties, doesn't it?”

I smiled. “I guess so.”

“Any luck with your sewing after our talk?” he asked, motioning me to sit on a chair, and then belatedly removing the heavy volume that lay open on it before I sat down.

“Well, I tried to imagine what I wanted the stitches to look like and that seemed to help,” I told him.

“Good. Yes, that's a good start,” he replied. “Hmmm, have you ever done any drawing? That may be the best way to show you what I mean.”

“What, you mean, fruit and vases and things? Still lifes?”

“Yes, that will do.” He rummaged on the main table in the room and came up with a mostly clean piece of paper, as well as a piece of charcoal. “Now, why don't you draw me an apple?”

I took the items from him, found a clear spot to put them down and began to draw the almost round shape of an apple, then added a stem.

He took the paper from me. “Not bad,” he announced, before handing it back. “Now, close your eyes and picture an apple, think about the shape, the taste, the smell.”

“All right,” I said, doing as he instructed. Immediately I thought of the apple I'd eaten at breakfast. It hadn't been particularly sweet, since it was really too early in the year for good apples, but the red color of the skin and the apple aroma were there.

“Now, without opening your eyes, draw what you've been thinking of,” Madoc said.

I was sure this picture would come out much worse, the shape all wrong, the lines not meeting, but I concentrated on what he suggested.

“Now open your eyes, Nissa.”

I opened them and looked at the paper. The apple I'd drawn was so much more...more apple like...than the first one. I smiled.

“You're surprised,” he said. “But you shouldn't be. Your hand is part of you and the charcoal can be just an extension of it. Your thoughts can travel from your mind to your hand and thence to the writing tool. If you have a clear picture of what you want it to be, then that will translate to what appears on the paper.”

“You said something earlier about the connections between everything...” I knew I wasn't quoting accurately, but I thought he'd understand what I was asking about. “Tell me more about that.”

“Everything around us is made up of tiny particles, so tiny that no one can see them. They're held together by various strong energy forces,” he began to explain. “But there are weaker forces between each individual thing, each person, each animal, each bit of earth. Those of us who can focus on those forces can use them to do what we call magic,” he said. “There's really nothing 'magical' about it.”

“So you're saying you really aren't a wizard?” I asked.

“If being a wizard is making things disappear or pulling items out of thin air, then no,” he said. “But to me, being a wizard is using what skills and knowledge and abilities I have to help other people. Magic is just tricks. Wizardry is something else entirely, and you, my dear, have the kinds of skills to excel at it.”

“Oh!” I was astonished. None of this was what I'd imagined. But it made sense, and it did sound like something I could do.

“Tomorrow when you're at your needlework, see if you can use this technique to sew better than you ever have,” he said, tapping the paper with my two apple drawings on it.

“I will!” I said, grinning at him. “Thank you!” Impulsively, I stretched up to hug him. Madoc isn't that much taller than I am, so it wasn't much of a stretch. “May I come back tomorrow?”

“Of course. After all, I want to hear how well you did,” he told me.

I left him, almost looking forward to the next day. I wondered what Jannet would say when she saw the sewing I'd do.

 

Chapter 2.

Later that afternoon, I was able to practice the technique Madoc had told me about. We were helping Cook prepare some of the vegetables for dinner and she wanted us to cut the carrots into equal sized slices. Usually, mine came out looking like they'd been sliced by someone without a thumb, but this time, I close my eyes and imagined perfect quarter inch slices of carrot.

Cook was as amazed as I was with the result. She looked at the others questioningly, certain that someone had helped me, but they'd been too busy with their own carrots to even watch. “All right, Nissa, do another one while I watch.” She handed me another carrot and stood watching closely, her hands crossed over her ample stomach.

I repeated the procedure, then opened my eyes. Another perfectly sliced carrot sat on the wood cutting board in front of me.

Cook smiled. “Well, girls, I think Nissa has set a new standard for all of us to strive for,” she told the others.

I felt my cheeks redden with the unexpected compliment. I really don't like being the center of attention, so I'd have to watch how I used this new ability in the future.

Later, Morna asked me how I'd managed to do it, and I was at a loss for what to tell her. “I guess I just got lucky today,” I said lamely.

Cook used my carrots at dinner that night. There was plenty of other food, so they didn't stand out, and only she and the other girls knew who'd sliced them. Still, I did my best to keep my usual low profile, to blend into the background.

After dinner, in honor of the visiting Lord Graham, some of the men brought in instruments to play for us. They were reserved for special occasions, like the Duke's birthday, feast days, or visiting dignitaries. But the men had played together enough that the music was very enjoyable.

My father, besides being swordmaster, is accomplished with the theorbo. How he can manipulate all fourteen sets of strings so delicately is a wonder to me. Blane recently learned to play the gemshorn and was joining the men in their musicmaking. His instrument was made from the horn of a chamois that Father had shot the previous Spring.

I love listening to their music, but it was the first time I even considered the possibility of learning to play an instrument. As I watched all of them I decided that was something else I might want to master some day.

It had been a long day. When Morna and I withdrew to the room we shared in the section of the manor that was set aside for our family, I undressed quickly and pulled on my nightdress, then slid under the goose feather-filled comforter and promptly fell asleep. We occupied rooms in a part of the manor that had been added during the Duke's grandfather's time. We even had glass in the window openings, and not just shutters as in the older parts of the house.

Sometime during the night, I dreamed about ways I could use what Madoc had taught me. Some of them were quite bizarre. But I woke with a newfound desire to prove to Jannet and everyone else that I really could sew well if I set my mind to it.

Morna and I washed up and dressed before returning to the dining hall for breakfast. As soon as we arrived we heard the commotion going on. From what I could hear, Kerr had complained to his father that Madoc was giving my brothers preferential treatment at their lessons with him.

I thought about the little lesson he'd given me the day before. Kerr's accusations were another reason not to tell anyone about it.

The Duke faced his wizard, and had apparently asked him to explain himself just before we arrived.

“All of the boys receive the same tuition,” Madoc said in an even voice. “I teach them the science and mystery of everything around us. It's up to them to use what I've taught them.” He turned to Kerr. “What did I say about the energies that keep this world turning?” he asked.

“Uh, that the world will continue to turn forever,” Kerr replied.

“Is that all you learned from my lecture yesterday?” Madoc asked, still very gently.

I could see that my brothers and one or two of the others wanted to say something, but waited for Kerr to reply.

“It's not anything I find interesting,” Kerr said, and glared at Madoc.

“Well, you should,” Donal blurted.

Madoc smiled at him. “I don't teach you these things so that you can ignore them. And I certainly don't pick and choose whom I teach anything. You and the others all get the same instruction,” he told Kerr.

Kerr was finally beginning to realize he'd made a mistake bringing his resentment towards my brothers and Madoc to his father's attention.

But it was Madoc who helped him save face. “Maybe I should tell you all the relevance of what I teach. Maybe then you'll be more interested in learning it.”

I think even the Duke realized that Madoc was trying to take the blame away from Kerr. I knew it wouldn't affect the way Kerr behaved, but this incident made me appreciate Madoc more than ever.

With the confrontation over, everyone was free to get back to their breakfasts. I took a bowl of porridge and a thick slab of bread from the trestle table, along with a mug of cocoa. Ever since that drink had been introduced to the manor by a traveler from the South, I'd preferred it to tea in the cold mornings, and even now, in the summer, when the sun hadn't yet heated the air and the earth around the manor. Too bad cocoa powder was so dear that we didn't have it often.

Morna was sitting with our parents and brothers that morning so I joined them. Whenever I see Morna and Donal on either side of my mother, I wonder why they got her red hair. Blane was blond like Father. So where did I come in? Oh, I looked like them all, the same strong jaw, clear pale skin, and blue eyes, but my hair was the color of the mud around the hen house, and the texture of a horse's tail.

“I can't believe Kerr would complain about Madoc to his father!” Morna said.

“Well, I'm sure the Duke understands the situation,” Mother said. How does she always look so fresh and cheerful in the mornings?

“Madoc certainly never favors anyone,” Donal said. “I don't think Kerr gets it, any of it. And how you can not be interested in all the wonderful things Madoc's told us about...” He didn't have to say any more.

“I wouldn't worry about it,” Father said. Then he laughed a little. “I think the Duke's somewhat afraid of Madoc.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because he doesn't understand what Madoc does any more than his son does,” Mother said.

“I think you're right, Edana,” Father told her.

We were all quiet for a while, eating and thinking through what she'd just said. I suppose I never thought about Duke Alec other than the fact that we lived in his manor, and that my father was his swordmaster. I knew my mother had, at one time, been the duchess's secretary, whatever a secretary does. But now she was just our mother, and looked after my brothers, my sister and me. Oh, she spent a good part of her days with the other women at the manor. She had some training in the healing arts, and was occasionally called upon to administer to someone who'd fallen sick or been injured.

We finished eating and I accompanied Morna to the sewing room, less reluctantly than usual. The other girls were still buzzing about what had happened earlier, some of them actually taking Kerr's part, especially his sister Larena. But Glynis, who'd been extolling his virtues the day before, had seen the light.

“If he doesn't pay attention to what he's being taught, how can he expect to use it? And how can he say it's Madoc's fault?” Glynis told Larena.

“Girls! Girls! Settle down,” Jannet said, clapping her hands for attention. “We still have much work to do today.”

We each headed to our assigned places and began to take out our napkins, threads and needles. I looked at the work I'd done the day before, thinking I should probably rip it out and start again, but decided that could wait until later. First I would embroider a few more leaves and see if they came out better. They probably couldn't look any worse.

Of course, it had been several months since any of us had seen autumn leaves, but I could still remember the vivid colors, and especially the scent of them on the ground as we trampled over them. I closed my eyes to conjure up the sight, sound and smell of them, then began to move my needle in and out of the fabric. When I thought I was finished, I opened my eyes. The leaf I'd embroidered was so lifelike! I smiled, then quickly repeated the process to make three more.

Jannet came by just as I finished. She looked at my work and then at me with her mouth hanging open. Finally she gulped. “I see you've been practicing,” she said down her long nose. “Well done, Nissa.”

 

Chapter 3.

Over the next year, I met with Madoc once or twice each week and he gave me pointers on using 'magic'. He told me about how the two moons affected the seas. I'd never been to the sea so I just took his word for it. We talked about the stars, how they were like our sun but very far away.

“Are there worlds like ours under those suns?” I asked.

“Oh, indubitably,” he replied, smiling at me.

He also taught me to use all of my senses. “We tend to rely on our sense of sight and hearing, but our senses of taste, smell and touch are just as important.”

Once I started using all five senses, I found that the world around me was brighter somehow, more alive.

But mostly he taught me to harness the energies just waiting out there, to direct and control them to do what I wanted to do. He seemed to trust that what I'd do with them wouldn't be harmful. And he treated me like an adult, not like a child the way Jannet and even Cook sometimes did. He always took the time to explain things to me.

More and more I looked forward to those lessons, to the time the two of us spent together. He made me think and laugh and appreciate my life.

Meanwhile, my sewing and cooking skills improved twentyfold. I still didn't care much for sewing, but I realized part of that was that I didn't like Jannet. Even when my embroidery improved and she continued to praise me, there was something about the woman that drove me batty.

I still envied the boys, and found opportunities to watch them at practice with their swords and lances, as well as their bows and arrows. Oh, I had no desire to go to battle, but it would be nice to know how to use those implements for peaceful pursuits.

One day, with my heart in my throat, I approached my father about my wish. “Father, would you show me how to use a sword?”

“You have no need to know that,” was his first reaction.

“Oh, I know. I...I just thought it was a useful skill to learn.” I bit my lip. “If not a sword, how about a bow and arrow?”

“Why?Do you expect to have to kill an animal for food someday?” he asked with a chuckle.

It was a logical question. “It's not beyond the bounds of possibility,” I replied, although I knew that the huntsmen and merchants provided the manor with any food we needed. “Um, what if...what if we went on a journey, say to visit Mother's family in Dunswell, and something happened so we were delayed along the way,” I submitted. “We might need to find food to eat for several days.”

He smiled at me, rather indulgently. “We'll see,” he said, not ready to commit to anything, and I let it go.

I supposed that I could cajole Mother into trying to convince him, but I wasn't ready to do that. Instead, I continued to watch the boys and learn as much as I could that way.

During the next year, as I spent more time with Madoc, Glynis and I drifted apart. I never noticed when she and Adair began spending so much time together. He was our age and not arrogant like his brother Kerr. It was Morna who brought their growing attachment to my attention one day by chanting, “Glynis has a boyfriend, Glynis has a boyfriend.”

And then, in the Winter a year and a half after I received my first lesson from Madoc, he was called home. It seemed that his father was ill, and his mother wanted him there. It took him three days to prepare for the long journey. I had no clear idea of how far it was, just that it would take him the better part of a week to reach the shores of the East Islands, and that he'd have to cross the Great Sea.

I tried to see him during the three days he spent on his preparations, but somehow missed him at every turn. There was no telling whether he'd ever return after this trip, and I wanted to thank him for his lessons. I finally found him the night before he left, consulting with Father and Mother about ways they could continue to teach the boys while he was gone.

They didn't see me standing in the doorway, listening to their conversation.

“Stick to basic science for now,” Madoc told my mother. “No need to go into anatomy or methods for healing. They've been observing the stars lately, so you can also continue to do that with them. You both know enough about the constellations to keep them interested.” Suddenly, he caught sight of me. “Nissa.”

“I...I didn't mean to interrupt,” I apologized.

“No, no. It's quite all right,” Mother said.

“Yes, my dear. Come right in,” Madoc invited. “I've just been enlisting your parents' aid for while I'm gone.” He turned to my mother. “You may spend a little time with Nissa,” he told her. “She's an apt pupil.”

My parents seemed as surprised as I was. On my part, it was surprise that my parents would be the ones he'd turn to to teach the boys in his absence. What did they know about 'magic'? And, of course, they were surprised that Madoc considered me a pupil worthy of continued education.

We stared at each other for a moment until my father said, “Right. Well, we wish you a safe journey, and we'll hold down the fort while you're gone.”

Madoc laughed at that, although I wasn't sure what Father meant.

“I do hope your father will be well,” Mother said, laying a hand on Madoc's shoulder and smiling encouragingly at him. “And that you'll be able to help your family through this.”

Madoc nodded. “Although I don't know what I'll be able to do.”

“Good-bye, Madoc,” I said and, with a quick glance at my parents, added, “Thanks for everything.”

“My pleasure, Mistress Narissa,” he said formally but with a big grin.

The entire household showed up the next morning to see Madoc off. He sat astride his spotted horse, Willow, and led a packhorse, laden with supplies for his journey. As he rode out through the gates with everyone waving goodbye. I felt the tears in my eyes, but wouldn't let them fall. I didn't know whether I'd ever see him again and I knew I'd miss him dearly.

The rest of the day passed just as they always did. An ordinary day, but there was a great big hole in it.

We heard nothing from him over the next months. By the time my eighteenth birthday came at the beginning of the Spring season, the pain of his absence had dulled. My parents had honored his request. They realized that if I joined the boys in their lessons, Kerr would have something new to complain about, so my mother gave me private instruction in astronomy and the healing arts. And my father finally consented to teach me to use a bow and arrow. But it wasn't the same as my lessons with Madoc. They were my parents and he was...I'm not sure what you'd call it. Mentor, friend and a whole lot of other things.

Father was amazed at my accuracy. I hesitated at first, but finally confided that I was using the 'magical' technique Madoc had taught me. He didn't seem all that surprised.

My parents and I kept quiet about my unusual education, that is until my birthday. My gift from them that year was my own bow, made of rare wood, brought by a merchant from the west, where supple trees grew that I had heard of but never seen, trees called willows, like Madoc's horse.

My brothers and Morna looked at my gift with surprise and puzzlement. “Are you going to learn to use that?” Blane asked me.

I smiled sheepishly, but let my father explain. “Nissa already knows how.” He grinned suddenly. “She's almost as good as you.”

“But...” Donal struggled with the implications of that. “Have you been learning magic, too?”

I swallowed, but admitted, “Yes.”

“That's why your embroidery has improved so much!” Morna exclaimed. “But that's been going on for over a year!”

I looked at my parents and sighed. Now that my siblings knew this much, I supposed they could hear all of it. “I learned from Madoc. He taught me how to use the energy forces around us to do things.”

“And no one ever knew!” I expected Donal to be angry. Instead, he smiled. “Good show, Nissa!”

“Yes,” Blane added. “Well done!” He clapped me on the shoulder.

Only Morna seemed sad. “What about me? Why can't I learn all that you three know?” It was so unusual for her to be unhappy about anything, that I really felt sorry for her.

“Oh, Morna! I didn't start to learn any of this until after I was sixteen,” I said.

“Well, I'm sixteen now!” she pointed out.

Mother smiled at her. “All you need do is ask,” she said.

“Really?” The light returned to Morna's blue eyes, and her smile was back. That was all it took, a promise that she, too, would join the three of us in our knowledge.

Now that my brothers knew about my archery skills, they challenged me to a contest. Two days after my birthday, Father took us to a little used field, away from prying eyes, and set up a target. We took turns shooting arrows and it was quickly evident that the three of us were evenly matched. Somehow that made us all feel good.

Two weeks later, a traveler arrived at the manor, carrying a letter for Madoc. It wasn't unusual for travelers to stop here on their way to more interesting destinations, since the Merchant's Road ran right through Holmdale. This young man came from the East, and had been given the letter in Fairhaven, the main city of the East Islands.

Had Madoc never arrived there? We all wondered.

“He left a week before I arrived,” the young traveler said. “The letter is from his mother.”

“And how long have you been on the road?” the Duke asked him.

“Four days,” the man said. “I was surprised that I didn't overtake him on the way at the rate I was riding.”

“He hasn't returned here,” Father said. “Perhaps he stopped somewhere along the way, or took a detour.”

But none of us really believed that. We began to worry about our wizard, teacher and friend.

Another week passed with no sign of Madoc. The Duke seemed reluctant to send out a search party, saying it wasn't his responsibility, and when we asked our parents whether they'd go looking for Madoc, they said they'd wait another few weeks before panicking.

But we already were. Blane, Donal, Morna and I found opportunities to talk in quiet whispers about what we could do. In the end, we decided that Blane and Donal would retrace Madoc's journey in hopes of finding signs of him. But that was not to be.

The boys had been practicing jousting for a few weeks, and during one match, Kerr unseated Donal. He fell with a thud, breaking his right arm and injuring his right leg. Even with Mother's brand of healing magic, there was no way he could make the journey with Blane.

Donal was put to bed with his arm in a sling and his leg stretched out in front of him. Blane, Morna and I visited with him after Mother and Father left.

“Now what?” Blane asked.

“I'll go with you,” I told my older brother. “You can't go alone, and there isn't anyone else we can trust.”

Blane hesitated, but he saw my point and agreed. “All right. But we have to plan this properly. We can't just ride out of here without provisions or any idea of where we're going.”

 

Chapter 4.

Over the next few days, each of us began to accumulate food and other necessities Blane and I would need for the journey. Even Morna took extra food at mealtimes and stuffed it into the pockets of her dresses, giving it to me later to add to my packs.

Looking over my clothing, I was dismayed to realize that most of it was inappropriate for several days' ride and possibly spending the nights outdoors. It was Spring, but I couldn't predict what the weather would be like anywhere we went on our journey. I took the simplest of my blouses and the plainest of my skirts, and I also 'borrowed' a pair of Donal's riding britches. They were only a little bit long on me and I'd have to use a rope to keep them up, but they'd be more comfortable to ride in than any of my skirts or dresses. And I took my sturdiest shoes rather than the slippers I often wore. I wished I had a pair of boots like my brothers!

I also needed a horse. The boys spent more time in the saddle than I did, but there was one horse in the stables that I enjoyed riding, a roan quarter horse named Gallin. Blane would take his favorite horse, Starfire, a blue roan. We decided to leave before daylight on a Sunday morning when everyone slept late.

I was worried that Donal and Morna would be in trouble, at least with our parents, when everyone noticed we were gone.

“Don't worry,” Morna said, smiling at me. “Donal and I don't know anything about when you left or where you're going.” She gave me her wide-eyed innocent look and I laughed. I almost believed her myself.

On the last day before we left, Blane and I decided to see if we could find anything in Madoc's quarters that might give us an idea of his route and where else he might have gone. His main room was musty and dusty with lack of use. True, Father had raided some of Madoc's books and charts for the lessons he and Mother had been giving the boys, but mostly everything was as Madoc left it almost four months before.

There were books on every flat surface, as well as in the bookcases that lined one wall. I immediately went to the ones on the table in the center of the room. Most of them seemed familiar from my lessons with him, but there were three I'd never seen before.

“Blane, come take a look. Have you ever seen these?”

He opened one of the books. It wasn't in our language, Learic, in fact I'd never seen this kind of writing anywhere, printed in a fine hand, indeed. I couldn't make out any of the 'words'.

“Where did Madoc get this?” Blane asked, but of course I didn't have a clue.

One of the other books seemed to be a book about astronomy, but the star charts were very different from the ones on the walls in this room.

“I don't recognize some of these constellations,” I said, frowning as I tried to reconcile them with what I knew. The names under the pictures were also strange.

The last of the books appeared to be in the same language as the first. This one had pictures showing machines of some sort, including two with people inside them. They weren't drawings, couldn't be. How had someone captured these images? I wondered. And then there were more pictures of buildings, higher than any in our realm, even in the big cities.

“Do you think Mother and Father know about these?” he asked.

“Maybe. But if we ask them, we'll have to tell them what we were doing in Madoc's chambers,” I said.

Blane nodded. “I think we should take these with us. Maybe we'll find someone who can read these two and explain the one on the stars.”

“Good idea,” I agreed.

There was nothing else in the room that seemed to be useful for our upcoming trip. We returned to the room Blane shared with Donal and added the books to Blane's packs.

“What are those?” Donal asked, so we had to show them to him. His reaction was the same as ours had been.

“Worse comes to worst, we'll ask Madoc about them when we find him,” I said.

“If we find him,” Blane amended.

“Don't you think we will?” I asked. “We have to!”

He put a hand on my shoulder. “Yes, of course we will,” he said, but I knew he just wanted to reassure me.

The next morning, two hours before dawn, Blane knocked twice on the door of my room. I quickly dressed, pulled my packs from under my bed and folded my blankets, then joined him in the hallway. We made our way to the stables in the dark with only the waning light of the Second Moon to see by. The Evening Moon had set hours ago. There were stars up there in the sky, but they didn't provide much light.

We saddled our horses and mounted, one pack strapped across our backs and two others hung on either side of the saddle, along with bows and a quiver of arrows. We rode due east. I'd been out this way before, but not far, only to the nearby mountain range. They weren't very high, hills really, and we knew the Merchant's Road went through several passes to the other side.

It was starting to turn light when we reached the mountains. We stopped to eat a hasty breakfast before we entered the first pass. The horses seemed happy to take a rest.

I'd wrapped some bread and cheese in some of my old embroidery projects, so we munched on those, washing our food down with water from our flasks. There was a rivulet near the entrance to the pass, and we let the horse get their fill from it before mounting again and continuing on.

The way was steeper than I'd originally thought, but the ground was firm and the horses had no trouble navigating. We were through to the other side in a little over an hour. But the weather on this side of the mountains wasn't as fair. Dark clouds filled the sky.

“I think we may be heading into some rain,” Blane said, squinting as he looked toward the sun that peaked out from behind one of the clouds.

“Let's go as far as we can before it starts, and then we can look for shelter,” I suggested. We urged the horses on, passing from the rocky foothills to a vast grassy plain, dotted here and there by low trees. “This must be the Dalton Plain,” I said, remembering the charts I'd seen of the realm of Arrandis and surrounding lands.

“They say that the weather can change here in a flash,” Blane reminded me and we sped forward, hoping to reach the woods we could see in the distance before that happened. But they seemed to be ever further away, and suddenly I felt the first drops of rain on my nose and hands.

“Let's make for that tree over there,” Blane said, already heading for it. It was a large tree with wide limbs and looked like it would form a canopy of leaves over us once we reached it. By the time we did, we were soaked through to the skin. The horses didn't need any urging to join us under the tree.

I pulled out one of my blankets to wipe Gallin down, and then another to wrap around myself to ward off the chill of my wet clothes. The storm lasted well over an hour, but once it passed, the sun came out, bright as can be. We led the horses back out and let them bake a bit in the sunshine, steam rising from their coats, before mounting again and riding off.

My gray wool cloak dried quickly in the warmth of the sun, but my blouse and Donal's pants felt damp and clammy against my skin. We rode for another hour before stopping by a stream for luncheon. We had some dried meat and a few apples, which would do for a meal. We even shared the apples with Gallin and Starfire.

Fortified by our meal we rode through the rest of the afternoon. Before the sun had set, we came to a town, smaller even than Holmdale and not blessed with the type of manor we called home. But there were a few shops, and even better, a tavern.

I'd never been inside a tavern before. It wasn't seemly for a young woman to frequent such an establishment. But they served the purpose of having both food and lodging available, for a price.

Blane and I had very little money, even with the coins that Donal and Morna had contributed. We knew we'd have to conserve what we had. But the thought of a warm meal and a seat by the hearth of a fire was irresistible. We took the horses to the town stable, paying the two colens each to leave them for the night. Taking our packs, we walked back to the tavern.

It was crowded, and overly warm inside. A mix of odors of food, people and a fire laid with damp wood assailed my nose, but I knew I'd have to endure it. Blane led the way to a counter where a short, heavyset man was dispensing huge mugs of ale.

“Can my sister and I get a meal here?” he asked.

“Sister, huh?” the man asked with a leer.

But Blane held his ground. Being tall and broad helped. “Yes, my sister.”

“We've got a stew tonight,” the man said. “You got money?”

“How much is it?” I dared to ask.

“Fifty colens. Each,” the barman said.

Blane and I exchanged a look. Maybe we could get one bowl and share it. I think my brother had the same idea. “One bowl, please,” he told the man, and took out some coins. We both knew there'd be another charge for a drink and a much larger one for a room or even a bed for the night.

The barman looked at me and said, “Tell you what. I'll sell you a bowl and throw in two slices of bread for sixty.”

“OK,” Blane said, adding a decime to the rest of the money he'd handed over.

“Did you want a bed, too?” the man asked as he handed over the bowl, two spoons and two thick slices of slightly moldy bread. He motioned over another man, taller but just as heavyset. “Lor, these two need a place to stay tonight,” the barkeep said.

I moved even closer to Blane. Normally I thought I could take care of myself, but I wasn't so naïve to think that I was safe from any of these men.

“Pallets down here will do,” Blane said. I'd never thought of that possibility. I wouldn't be able to wash or change my clothes but we'd be indoors in a heated room, and with so many others around, it might be safer.

“Twenty jorans each,” the bigger man said. That was a lot of money.

“Fifteen,” Blane offered.

“Eighteen.”

“Done,” Blane agreed.

“I'll be back after you've eaten that swill,” the man named Lor said.

 

Chapter 5.

There weren't any empty chairs, or even tables in the Oaken Bucket Tavern. We ate standing near the fire. The stew was thin and tasted as if it had been watered down a few times and reboiled even more. But then, we didn't need anything to drink it down with. And the bread was filling once I cut away the mold with my little knife. I'd known I wasn't going to have dinners like the ones we ate back at the manor so I shouldn't complain.

We finished eating and returned the bowl and spoons to the barman, then looked around for the other man, the one he called Lor. Some people were beginning to leave the tavern, stumbling out into the streets of Holden after several mugs of ale. Others seemed to have already made their sleeping arrangements for the night, for they were picking their spots as two men brought out straw-filled pallets.

Lor spotted us just as we caught sight of him. “Come on,” he said, and led us to an area just off the main room of the tavern. A second fire burned there. Two men and a woman were already making themselves as comfortable as possible. Lor called to the men who were carrying pallets to the main room, and they brought two to us.

“Thank you,” I said, smiling at them all.

Before they walked off, Blane thought to ask, “Have you seen a young man, a little older and a little shorter than me, with dark hair and eyes? He probably came through here a few months ago, traveling alone and heading east from Holmdale.”

Lor looked at the men who'd brought the bedding and said, “If you be meaning Master Madoc, then yes, we saw him.”

One of the others nodded. “Twere going on four months ago. Heading for the East Islands he was.”

“But you haven't seen him since? He hasn't been back this way?” Blane asked.

They all shook their heads, and Lor left with the two men.

“Did you want to use the privy out back afore you laid down?” the woman asked me. “Seeing as I'm going that way.”

“Oh, yes of course,” I said, but looked at Blane to see whether he thought it was a good idea for me to go with this stranger.

“I'll come along,” he told her. “To keep you both safe.”

“Oh, aye,” she agreed. “It's always good to have a strong young man around.” She grinned at him and we could see that a few of her teeth were missing and another broken. She couldn't be more than thirty and I wondered what she was doing traveling or if she was alone. “I'll be right back, Mady,” she told one of the men in the room, indicating to me that she wasn't alone after all.

The privy was just a small enclosed hole in the ground. We took turns using it. There was no running water, and no way to wash up afterwards. Watching me, the woman said, “You can wipe yer hands on the leaves of that shrub.”

I slept in my clothes. They'd finally dried off. But I wrapped myself in my blankets as protection from whatever vermin might be living in the straw pallet. And I used one of my packs as a pillow. I was used to my bed at home, the comfortable mattress, the feather-filled comforter, but I was so tired from the journey that I fell asleep almost immediately.

I awoke during the night to voices. It was the woman and the man she called Mady. “Maybe we should go with them,” she said. “It'll be safer than goin' on our own.”

“But they're heading east,” Mady said. “And if they're with us, we'd have to share with them. No, we'll just take our chances heading south, the three of us.”

“If you say so,” she said. “Well, get ye some more sleep. It'll be light afore we know it.”

I couldn't fall asleep again. I listened to all of the strange sounds in the tavern, creaking floorboards as someone walked about, the squeak of a door opening and closing, muffled voices coming from the main room.

For the first time since we left home, I thought about my parents. They would have realized we were gone by now. What would they think? I hoped Donal and Morna weren't in trouble because of us.

All too soon, light began to trickle into the place and in the distance I could hear a rooster crow.  
“Nissa, are you up?” Blane called to me in a whisper.

“Yes, I think so.”

“Let's get an early start,” he said. “I don't want to spend any more of our money on breakfast here.”

“OK,” I said, stretching and sitting up. I gathered my packs and blankets and followed my brother out into the dawn. We went straight to the stables where we found our horses, fed and rested, and we saddled them for another day's ride.

Once we were a mile or two outside of town, we stopped for a breakfast from our meager stores. As we sat against the trunk of a large tree, I noticed some berry bushes, a type of berry I knew wasn't poisonous. We each had a handful with a hunk of bread, then collected more to add to our dwindling supplies.

Obliterating any signs of our presence, we continued east. We passed through a forest of more large trees and all sorts of underbrush, but the Merchant's Road was easy to follow, a clear path heading east, and after a few hours we left the woods behind, coming out onto a sun-lit plateau.

The land in front of us was almost devoid of vegetation, dry as well as hot. And dusty. Every footfall of the horses hooves created a cloud of the stuff. I didn't need my cloak to keep me warm, but I wrapped a cloth around my face to keep the dust out of my nose. I couldn't very well shield my eyes, since I had to see, and soon they were full of grit.

Looking off into the distance, we could see another small village, smaller even than Holden, where we'd spent the night before. As we got closer, it appeared to consist of several straw huts with only one wooden structure at the far end.

As we approached, the people we'd seen initially disappeared into the huts, all except for one man who stood in the road and held up a hand in greeting as we neared. He said something in a language I didn't know. Blane didn't either, for he replied in our language, “Sorry, we only speak Learic,” he said.

The man, very short and rather hairy with a long gray beard, nodded once and repeated in Learic, “Who are you and where are you going?” It was clearly not a language he used often, but he spoke quite grammatically.

“My sister and I are on our way east. We're seeking a friend,” Blane replied. “He may have passed this way four months ago, but he never returned.”

“This friend, does he have a name?” the little man asked.

“He is called Madoc.”

The moment the name was out of Blane's mouth, the man's face broke out into a smile, at least I thought it was one, behind his whiskers. “Why did you not say so! Master Madoc is well-known to the Dorri.”

“Is that who you are? The Dorri?” I asked, fascinated that he should know Madoc.

“That we are, Mistress. I am called Kif,” he said, bowing slightly to me.

“Well, Kif, I am Blane Day and my sister is Narissa. You haven't by chance seen Master Madoc traveling back west, have you?”

“No,” Kif said. “His father was ill, you know. Perhaps he is still in Fairhaven at the Citadel.”

I shook my head. “His mother sent him a letter, expecting him to have returned to Holmdale by now.”

“Oh, dear!” Kif frowned. “He is a most wondrous man. I hope you will find him. ”

“Yes, we hope so too,” I replied.

“Perhaps you will stop and rest, and share some food with us,” Kif offered. Without waiting for a reply, he led us to the nearest hut. We both had to duck to make it through the door. The inside was plainly furnished with rough hewn wood table and chairs, a stove in one corner and a vast bed at the other end of the large room.

A woman, even shorter than Kif, stared at us for a minute before starting to speak in their tongue.

Kif replied to her, then said, “I told Lyra you only speak Learic. She understands a little and speaks a few words.” He turned back to her and said something else.

She quickly took out plates from one cupboard and some kind of food from another. I recognized some vegetables, some kind of peppers I thought, and a flat kind of bread. She put the vegetables in a pan on the stove and cooked them, adding some green onions after a short time. At the same time, she heated the bread on the hearth. When the vegetables had cooked for a few minutes, Lyra opened a box near the door and took out a tomato. It looked very ripe. She sliced it and added it to the other vegetables, along with some salt, not a lot. Cook once told us that she'd use more salt in food if it wasn't so dear, but it was hard to come by and cost the moon.

Soon, all the food was done. Kif showed us how to roll the vegetables up in the bread and eat it. It was really quite good, and not just because I was hungry. I think it was the peppers that made it spicier than any food I'd ever eaten. Lyra also brought over a pot of tea and mugs for us all. She served a fruit with it that was very sweet and juicy, with an orange rind and a pink interior. I smiled at her and said “Thank you,” then turned to Kif and asked, “How do you say 'thank you' in your language?”

“Kimo,” he said.

“Kimo, Lyra,” I immediately told the woman and she beamed at me. But suddenly a thought occurred to me. “Blane, where are those books, the ones we found in Madoc's study?”

My brother realized why I'd asked and pulled out one of the books from his pack. “Have you ever seen writing like this?” he asked Kif.

Kif stared at it for what seemed like a long time, then shook his head. “No, never.”

I was a little disappointed.

“Where did you say you found this?” Kif asked.

“Madoc had it in his rooms at Holmdale Manor,” Blane replied.

“Then he'll know what it is.”

“If we find him,” Blane said. “So far, we only know he arrived safely in Fairhaven, and left after a short stay. No one seems to have seen him since.”

“Trust in the Allmighty,” Kif said. “He will take you to Master Madoc.”

I didn't want to ask about his religious beliefs. I knew there were peoples who believed in a supreme being, and lived their lives based on that belief. We'd been taught that once the world was made, it was up to us to take care of it, that we shouldn't rely on any higher power to make things happen for us. But at that moment I wished I could believe.

“And we will have to be on our way,” Blane said. “Thank you both so much for your hospitality.” He smiled at our hostess. “Kimo,” he said with a slight bow.

“Basha,” she replied. I assumed that meant 'you're welcome'.

I wished we had something to give them for being so kind and feeding us. At the last minute I remembered the hairpins I had with me. Perhaps Lyra would like one. Her hair was long, a mix of brown and gray. I pulled one out of my sack and held it out to her. “Please tell Lyra that I'd like her to have this. It's for her hair,” I told Kif.

“That is very kind of you,” he said, then told Lyra what I said.

She made a motion that seemed to say 'for me?' and I could see on her face how pleased she was.

We refilled our water flasks at Kif's insistence, and Lyra gave us a couple of the fruits she'd served with our luncheon.

“When you return, please stop again,” Kif told us as he walked us back to our horses.

The other Dorri were out again, standing close to their homes and watching us curiously. I waved to them, then mounted Gallin, and Blane and I rode on.

 

Chapter 6.

The sun was even hotter now, but soon the path began to descend into a green valley, which obviously got the rain while the plateau where the Dorri lived got next to none.

“Let's hope everyone we meet from now on will be as kind as Kif and Lyra,” Blane said, and I nodded my agreement.

We rode for several hours until we came to a river. It wasn't a narrow and shallow stream that we could ford easily, but a deep and wide river. Was it the Tavy that I'd read about in books? Then it was very deep indeed.

We stopped as we contemplated how we'd get across. “Maybe there's a bridge,” Blane said, but none was visible either up- or downstream. That was strange, as the Merchant's Road was the major east-west way through the land.

“We might be able to swim it,” I said. “The horses too.”

My brother shook his head. “The current's too strong.”

After a while we saw a man approach from the other side, almost in line with us. When he got to the far shore, he turned his horse and rode upstream until he was almost out of sight. We watched as he walked his horse down to the water and then across. The water reached his knees and it was slow going, but he made it across.

Blane and I looked at each other, and got back up on our horses, riding upstream and meeting the man partway. He stopped when he saw us, and called out, “Hello.”

“Hello,” Blane responded. “We're looking for a place to cross.”

“There's a shallows back where I came over. It's where everyone crosses going east or west,” he said. He was wearing a jacket of sorts, with ornate buttons, instead of the tunics that most men wear, especially when they're riding.

“Why isn't there a bridge from one part of the Merchant's Road to the other?” Blane asked.

“It was washed away, maybe ten years ago, and never rebuilt.”

“Are you going as far as Holmdale?” I asked.

“Oh, no. I'm joining all of those heading south. You have heard that the Crimson Orb has been spotted in Meecham, haven't you?”

I'd never even heard of the Crimson Orb, let alone that it had been seen.

“We're looking for a friend of ours,” Blane said, rather than answer.

“Perhaps that's where he went.”

I supposed it was possible, but it didn't feel right. Madoc wasn't the sort to go seeking ...whatever the Orb was.

“And perhaps you've seen him.” Blane described Madoc again, but there was no reaction from the stranger. “Well, we won't keep you. Good fortune in your quest.”

“And you in yours,” the man said as he rode past us.

Once he was gone, I asked Blane, “Have you ever heard of a Crimson Orb?”

“No, never. I suppose it's some sort of treasure,” he guessed.

“The people in the room with us at the Tavern were traveling south, too,” I suddenly remembered. “But I thought the south was a wasteland.”

“Obviously not. I've never heard of Meecham either, but it must be a sizable place.”

We'd reached the spot where we'd seen the man cross the river and dismounted. Leading his horse, Blane went first, but I followed close behind. The river was very shallow here, but the water was cold and flowed quickly over the rocky bottom. I was happy to reach the other side. My shoes, foot coverings and Donal's pants were wet again and I wished I could change them all. I settled for changing the shoes (luckily I had another pair) and hose while Blane did the same.

And now we had to find the Merchant's Road again. Funny that the path back to the main road on this side of the river wasn't as worn or even visible as it had been on the other side once we knew where to look.

We rode downstream until we reached the spot opposite the place we left the road on the other side, but we couldn't discern where the Merchant's Road started again. However, we'd seen the man approach the river near here before heading upstream.

It took us quite a few minutes to locate the path. Once we did, we were able to travel on without further delay.

We were so much further than I'd ever been from home. I'd never been away from my parents, Donal and Morna before, either. It was only the quest we were on and the fact that I was with Blane that kept me from feeling very homesick. As it was, I had to try hard not to miss them all.

There were no other towns or villages that we passed and the sun was beginning to set behind us. The countryside around us was somewhat hilly. “Maybe we can find a cave for the night,” Blane said, scanning the higher terrain just north of us.

It was worth a look before it got too dark. We rode over one hill and then a second one. “What's that?” I asked, seeing a blacker area among the gray rocks.

We rode closer and saw that it was a good-sized cave, then sped up. Getting to the mouth of the cave wasn't as easy at it looked at first, but we finally made it. The horses seemed as happy as we were to have the shelter. The cave wasn't very deep, but it would protect us during the night.

We built a small fire inside the cave with some twigs and brush so we could boil some water and cook some of the food we had. It would provide warmth during the night but we'd have to keep it going. We found enough kindling to do that. There was good grazing for the horses just outside the cave as well.

I took out the one pot we had with us, filling it with carrots and potatoes and a bit of the dried meat we carried, then set it directly in the fire. It would take a while to cook, but meanwhile I asked Blane to look the other way while I changed my clothes, replacing Donal's britches with a skirt made of deer hide, and putting on one of my other blouses. Maybe we'd find a town the next day where I could wash our clothes, or maybe just a clear water stream.

Once our stew was done, we each took a bowlful. It was much thicker than what we'd been given the night before, much more filling and satisfying. That night we slept on the hard ground, yet I felt safer than I had at the tavern.

I woke to find that I was alone in the cave. The fire had died down to a few embers. But then I heard Blane outside, talking in a low voice. I stood up, ran my fingers through my hair, and walked to the entrance. Then I smiled. He was talking to the horses. But what shocked me was that they seemed to be listening.

“What are you telling them?” I asked.

“That we might have another long ride today, but I'd make sure they rested every few hours,” he said. “They slept well last night and had enough to eat, but they're not used to riding long distances day after day.”

“How do you know that? You didn't just talk at them, you talked with them, didn't you?” I asked.

He looked a little sheepish, but admitted, “It's part of what Madoc taught me. I can sometimes connect with the minds of horses and other domesticated animals. Never tried it on wolves or anything, and probably wouldn't dare. But these horses know us. Their thoughts are simple, basic, you know? So they're easy to understand.”

“Well, I can see how that can come in handy,” I said, and wondered why I never thought to apply what I learned that way, or any way that would help us find Madoc. While I mulled that over, we ate a little bread and some cold sausage. We didn't have much of it, but it would go bad if we didn't eat it.

When we'd finished our breakfast with drinks of water, we collected our packs and blankets and walked the horses down as far as the trail, then got on their backs to continue on our way.

We hadn't gone far before we came across the first of several groups of people, all walking or riding east.

“Are you coming from Meecham?” one called out. “Has someone already found the Crimson Orb?”

Blane shook his head. “No, we're on our way from Holmdale to Fairhaven.”

“I'll trade you my blankets for one of your horses,” the man said.

My brother shook his head again. “These horses come with us. Perhaps you can find other horses along the way,” he suggested in a voice that sounded odd to me.

“Perhaps we can,” the man said and walked on.

“How did you do that?” I asked when we were far enough away that the people couldn't hear.

“I gave him a 'purpose',” Blane said. “I guess there were things I learned from Madoc that you haven't, at least not yet. I haven't thought to use them before.”

“I was thinking about that. Maybe there's a way to use the connecting energy to find him,” I proposed.

“No, I've already tried that,” he said.

“Hmmm.” I let it go for a while. Obviously he knew more about how to use that energy than I did, but maybe there were things I could do that he couldn't.

We met more groups of people, some on horseback but most walking, traveling east, then heading eventually to Meecham. One woman told us that going south first was impossible since they'd have to traverse the Frozen Tundra of Sorn. I'd never heard of that, either, and was beginning to realize how little I knew of the lands beyond our realm of Arrandis.

There were no towns or villages along our route. And there was no sign of Madoc. It was late in the afternoon that we spied some buildings in the distance, large building, taller than any I'd ever seen, even in Dunswell or our capital city Arris. There were so many and they were so big and close together that we couldn't see beyond them.

 

Chapter 7.

This couldn't be Fairhaven, because I knew we'd have to cross the Great Sea to reach the East Islands. As we got closer, we could make out some smaller structures closer to us. These turned out to be homes and shops, built one on top of the other, very close together, so close that little sunlight could reach the ground. They were made of stone and mud and stood two and three stories tall, with stairways running along the sides to the upper floors.

People rushed to and fro between them and into the area with the taller buildings. “How could they build these?” I asked Blane.

He looked as amazed as I was. “I'm sure they've developed ways over the years. They seem to have been standing for a while.”

We reined in our horses and tied them up at a trough along the road. The road was smoother than any we'd ridden on, even smoother than the roads to Dunswell and Arris.

“There's a tea shop,” Blane pointed out. “C'mon. I could use something to eat and drink.”

I was afraid anything we wanted in the shop would cost us dearly, and we still didn't know how much further we'd have to go, but I followed him through the doorway. The place was crowded with folks sitting at small tables, drinking tea and other beverages and eating small cakes and something that looked like thin slices of bread with cheese and meat between them. They looked very good, but then anything would after our journey.

We still didn't know where we were, but we couldn't just begin asking questions. That wouldn't be polite. A woman, in a light blue dress with an apron over it, asked if we wanted to sit down, and once we had she said, “We have cheese and pickle sandwiches today at three colens each, and tea cakes at four. What'll it be?”

“Uh, how much is the tea?” Blane asked. I knew he was calculating how much we had left. We might have to pay for passage to and from the islands if we didn't find Madoc soon.

“Two colens a cuppa,” the woman said.

As small as the cakes were, I didn't think one would fill us up. Maybe the sandwiches would. Blane must have thought the same thing. “Two teas and two sandwiches,” he said.

“Very good,” she said before turning to go.

“Blane, that won't leave us with much,” I whispered to him.

“No, but we have to eat. Perhaps we can sell our blankets or something.”

“But we'll need them,” I insisted.

The woman returned with two large cups of tea and two plates with two of the bread things on each. So, these were sandwiches. “That'll be ten colens,” she said.

Blane took out the pouch with our money and handed the coins to her.

“Enjoy your meal,” she said and turned again to walk away.

“Wait!” Blane called to her. “Mistress, can you tell us how far it is to Fairhaven?”

“You mean Fairhaven city? On the island out across the sea?” she asked. “Well, if you go down to the harbor, you can book passage on one of the freighters, now, couldn't you? I don't know how far the journey is, being as I've never left East Harbor myself.”

“Thank you,” Blane said. “You've been very kind.”

She left again, walking over to another table.

“I wonder if anyone at the harbor has seen Madoc. Surely, if he came back this way, he would have come through there,” I reasoned.

“We can ask, but now I think maybe we should travel to Fairhaven and try to trace his path from there,” Blane said. “Maybe he mentioned some place else he might have gone on his way back to Holmdale.”

I nodded as I took my first bite of my sandwich. It was delicious! Even better than it looked. I finished one of the ones on my plate quickly, took a sip of tea, but then decided to eat the second sandwich slowly to make it last.

The people around us were eating and chatting gaily. They looked prosperous and happy. I couldn't see how anyone could be happy in a crowded place like this city, but maybe they didn't know anything else. Maybe, like the woman who'd served us, they'd never been out of East Harbor.

When we'd finished our meal we left the shop. We asked a man just outside for directions to the harbor and he pointed down a narrow lane, paved with stones but fairly smooth. We untied our horses and led them in that direction. The street became narrower and narrower, and the buildings on either side became shabbier. Soon we caught the scent of a fishy smell, and then the street opened up again to reveal a huge harbor, filled with ships of all sorts and sizes.

I'd read about places like this but never seen one, and I'd certainly never seen a boat save for the small vessels that we'd seen traveling the river between Holmdale and Dunswell. The sails on some vessels were as tall as some of the buildings on shore.

We watched men loading a ship with boxes and bales for a while, then approached the man who seemed to be in charge. He carried a book of some sort and was constantly consulting it.

“Excuse me, but can you tell us where we can book passage to Fairhaven?” Blane asked him.

He looked the two of us over and then looked at our horses. “I'm harbormaster here. This ship, the Flying Dragon, she's goin' to Fairhaven. The cap'n is that man with the blue cap o'er there,” he replied. “He's been known to take passengers, if ye pay him well.”

My heart sank. We probably couldn't afford to go, or to take our horses with us.

Before we left the harbormaster, Blane asked him, “Did you see Master Madoc when he crossed over to the island four months ago?”

“Oh, aye. He took passage on the Bright Star, but she's not in port right now,” he said.

“And did he return through here?”

“What? No. I thought he was still in Fairhaven at the Citadel,” he replied, looking puzzled.

“Well, thanks.”

We walked towards the big man the harbormaster had indicated was the ship's captain. Close up, we could see he was older than he'd first appeared. His full face was scorched by the sun and burnished by the sea winds, his graying hair was long and wild, except for the bit that was caught at the nape of his neck by a leather band.

“Captain,” Blane called to him. “The harbormaster told us we might be able to obtain passage to Fairhaven on your ship.”

The captain looked us over, just as the harbormaster had. “Can you pay?”

My brother looked at me before replying. “It depends on how much you want.”

“Four jorans. Each. An' if'n you want to take the animals, another four for the two,” he said.

We didn't have nearly that much. In fact, I don't think we had four jorans for one of us.

“Is there any way we can earn passage?” Blane asked.

I could just imagine what the captain would want in exchange. And then we'd have to find a way back.

“I'll take her in return for your passage. No horses, though,” he said, eying me up and down with a leer, but I wasn't sure he was serious.

Blane shook his head. “No deal,” he said and started to walk away.

“Can you cook?” the captain called after us.

“I can,” I found myself volunteering. Not only would that pay for our trip, but also guarantee we'd have something to eat.

“And your husband?”

“He's my brother,” I said.

“What can he do?” the captain asked.

I could see Blane trying to think of something that would be useful on a ship. “I can...swab decks?” he offered.

The captain chuckled. “OK, that'll cover the two of you, but you'll also have to pay for the horses,” he insisted.

That was a tough decision. It would drain the rest of our money. And what would happen to the horses if we left them in East Harbor?

“Just a minute,” Blane said, and drew me aside near the horses. But it wasn't me he was consulting with. Finally he told me, “The horses are alright with staying here if we leave them near the grove of trees we saw just before we entered the city. Away from the road and near patches of grazing.”

I nodded, and Blane told the captain that we'd be back as soon as we provided for the horses.

“You have until full dark,” the captain said. “We're safer from the pirates if we travel by the light of the moons than during the day. If you're not back, we'll sail without you.”

 

Chapter 8.

As my brother and I rode off on the horses, I asked him, “What did he mean by 'pirates'?” I'd read about them in books, of course, but I never believed they really existed.

Blane shrugged, as much as you could shrug while riding a quarter horse. “He was just trying to scare us, I think.”

I mused on that as we trotted through the city, but then another question occurred to me. “Why didn't you try to 'convince' the captain to charge us less or even ride for free?”

“Who says I didn't? When I began to walk away, I 'pulled' his energy to me so that he wouldn't let us leave. He had to come up, on his own, with a way to take us on board.”

Something else for me to think about. And would I ever have the same control he did on everything around me? I'd attempted to communicate with Gallin after I learned of Blane's ability, but all I seemed to get was that he didn't mind my weight on his back. I tried again as we approached the outskirts of East Harbor. 'We'll be back for you soon', I thought at him. 'You'll be safe here.' I thought I heard him snort at that, but maybe I was mistaken.

We buried our saddles and any valuables we weren't taking under a shady tree, and left the horses in a  
nearby meadow, far enough from the road that they couldn't be seen by travelers heading to or from the city. I hoped my brother was right that they'd be safe there, and as I did, I felt this sense of reassurance from Gallin that they would be. Maybe I was making progress.

We took what we could, our clothes and a blanket, as well as some food, in packs on our backs and arms and walked back to the Merchant's Road. We took it into the city again. I wondered if I'd ever get over the size of the city or its buildings, but I also decided they were ugly. There was no beauty in the form or color or arrangement.

It was almost full dark by the time we reached the ship. The captain stood on the deck as the crew walked up the slanted wooden bridge from the shore to the ship. “That's called a gangplank,” Blane told me, and I remembered reading that word in a book. There was so much I didn't know about sailing ships, but I was about to find out.

“Welcome aboard,” the captain greeted us with a smile. “Lem will show you to your quarters.”

Lem was a short, thin man with bow legs and a scarcity of hair. He didn't appear to be very old, but his face was as weathered as the captain's. His blue eyes twinkled as he smiled at me. “Come along,” he said, leading us across the deck and through a little door to a steep stairway.

“Cap'n Woryn sez yer the new cook,” Lem said when we finally came to the end of the stairway. “Galley's thata way,” he added, pointing through another low doorway, “an' yer bunk's thar too.”

“What happened to the previous cook?” Blane asked him.

“Oh, he come down with the sickness,” Lem explained.

What sickness? I wondered. “Scurvy?” It was the only disease I knew that was associated with sea travel.

“Oh, no,” Lem said. “'Tweren't that. 'Twere the fever. Musta picked it up on the last journey to Nemed.”

“Do you usually go that far?” Blane asked.

I didn't even know where Nemed was, but Blane seemed to.

“Oh, aye! We sail the four seas,” Lem told us. “Seen sights 'ud make you wonder.”

“It sounds like you enjoy it,” I said.

“Some's born for it, Miss, and some're not.” He suddenly seemed to realize he hadn't shown Blane to his quarters. “Yer bunkin' wit' me, through there,” he told him, pointing in the opposite direction of the galley.

The idea that I'd be separated from my brother was a little scary, but Lem and Captain Woryn had seemed OK, and Blane wouldn't be too far away. I was convinced the captain hadn't been serious when he said he would take me as payment for Blane's passage. More likely he'd protect me. I hoped.

I took my packs into the galley and looked around. The first thing that struck me was the large number and the size of the pots, even bigger than the ones Cook used back at the manor. Well, I could understand that. After all, I'd be feeding an entire crew of grown men with healthy appetites. There was also a vast array of food, sacks of flour and potatoes and even rice, bins filled with carrots and onions and other vegetables I'd never seen before, and slabs of bacon hanging from hooks. There were eggs and dried meats, and wonder of wonders, a huge container of salt. In a crate on one side of the room I found apples and oranges and a few other kinds of fruit, including the kind Lyra had given us.

Tucked away between the cupboards holding plates and utensils was a narrow cot. I sat down on it, and it felt surprisingly comfortable. Stowing my packs under the cot, I continued to explore the galley. I still had no idea how long the voyage would be, but this would be my home for all of that time. I suddenly hoped I wouldn't become seasick. I'd never been on a ship before, but I'd read about them, and there was always someone who got seasick.

I found two books between the salt and sugar. They were filled with recipes, and notations in a hard-to-read hand. From what I could tell, the ones with the most notes were either the captain's favorites or the cook's. I could live with that. One was for a stew, similar to the kind I'd made in the cave the night before, but with ingredients listed that I'd never heard of before, possibly some of the vegetables I didn't recognize. Another was a soup made with all sorts of beans and rice.

But the one I was itching to try was a recipe that was like an omelet. We always had lots of eggs at the manor, ever since the Duke had decided to raise chickens, but Cook always made them the same way. I'd had omelets a few times when we visited our relatives in Dunswell and thoroughly enjoyed them. You could put so many things in them, just like in stews and soups, and they could be salty or sweet.

I wondered briefly where they got their eggs aboard the Flying Dragon. At the moment, that wasn't important, because there seemed to be an ample supply.

Lem poked his head into the galley as I was reading through the recipes. “Cap'n will want his dinner soon,” he said before disappearing again.

We'd already eaten at the tea shop a few hours before, but I could imagine that the ship's crew hadn't had theirs yet. They'd been too busy loading the ship. Omelets would be much quicker than anything else, I thought with a smile, and it was just a matter of deciding what to put in them.

I found the biggest skillet and put it on the wood-fired stove. There was already some wood in it, but at first I couldn't find a way to light it. I was glad that Blane came to check on me, because he was able to find the flints and get the fire started. There was no cold box, so I wondered whether there was any butter or fat to cook the eggs in. In the end, I decided to put some bacon in the skillet, cook it until the natural fat began to spread from it, then remove it and add the eggs. I chopped the bacon and some vegetables with a huge knife, and added those to the eggs before folding them over.

Blane brought over some plates and I put a big portion of omelet on each plate, along with some wedges of fruit and slices of bread. He took those up to the captain and crew, then returned for more plates just as I was dividing a second omelet. I stopped counting how many of them I made before he came to tell me I didn't have to make any more.

I banked the stove, and took the pan off it, then wiped my brow with a dingy but clean cloth hanging from a nail near the wash basin. Being the cook for this crew was an exhausting job.

“I hope they liked their dinners,” I said, sinking onto my cot.

Blane grinned at me. “The captain had three portions, kept asking for more until he began to burp with satisfaction.” He grabbed a plate and took the remaining food, then sat down beside me. “Want some?” he asked before digging in.

“Yes,” I said, realizing how hungry I was. “So when do we get underway?”

He chuckled. “We already are. Guess you're gonna be a good sailor, Nissa.”

I shook my head. “I think I was so wrapped up in what I was doing I didn't notice.” But now that I knew, I could feel the motion of the ship as the waves battered it. I looked at the eggs on Blane's plate and debated about eating any, but decided to take the chance, finding a clean though somewhat bent fork and taking a forkful. “Do you know how long the journey is?” I asked between bites.

“Karn said more than a day,” Blane replied. “He's the first mate.”

I looked at the food stocks and decided they'd be ample. “Where do they get their eggs?”

“You didn't see them?” Blane asked. “There are four cages of chickens aft.”

“Aft?”

He chuckled again. “You'll learn the jargon before long. Aft is toward the back of the ship.”

“Oh, I hope so.”

Once we'd finished the remainder of the food, Blane helped me clean up. There was a pump that brought water into the wash basin, although I didn't know where it came from, and some odd-looking brushes that I assumed were used to scrub the pots. I made sure everything was put away before I asked, “What else do they want us to do?”

“I think you'll just have to keep the men fed. I'm to help you with serving and cleaning, and also shining the bright work up top. Not too hard to do, but we'll earn our passage all right. But right now, I think you should get some sleep. They'll be up early and wanting breakfast.”

I nodded. As I watched him go, it occurred to me that I'd used eggs for dinner, so what would I give them for breakfast? There was plenty of bread, of course. Pondering what I'd do in the morning, I quickly fell asleep.

 

Chapter 9.

But it wasn't long before I was woken by shouts and the clattering of boots on the stairs and above me on deck. There was no way to tell down in the galley whether it was still dark, but I didn't think that more than a few hours had gone by since I'd fallen asleep.

I quickly got up and pulled on the clothes I'd removed before lying down on my cot. Lem poked his head in and shouted one word, “Pirates!”

I didn't know what to do, or what to think. Were Captain Woryn and his crew prepared to ward off marauders? What would they be after? True, the ship had been taking on all sorts of cargo when we first approached him about taking us to Fairhaven. Who knew what that cargo was, or how valuable it was.

I sat on my cot, then stood, nervously waiting for someone to tell me what was happening. The noises above were indistinguishable, although I thought I heard the clash of steel. Swords then. Once more I wished I'd learned how to use one.

But I didn't dare go up to see what was happening. I looked around for something I could use as a weapon if it came to that. And failing that, I wondered if there was somewhere I could hide.

I looked up when I heard a sound on the stairs, ready to strike whoever appeared with the heavy iron skillet I'd used for the omelets, but I sighed in relief when I caught sight of my brother's blond hair. “Blane! What's happening?”

“Pirates! Real, honest-to-goodness pirates! They were trying to board but Captain Woryn and his crew fended them off. I got in a lick or two myself,” he said with a grin.

I threw my arms around him and said, “I was so frightened. I didn't know what to do.”

“You stayed down here, out of the way,” Blane said. “You did just fine.”

But I didn't think so. All those years of wanting to be able to do what the boys did, and the minute there was danger, I 'stayed out of the way', as my brother put it.

“Anyway, I think the men can use some food,” he told me. He was grinning from the exhilaration of the fight.

“Yes of course!” I said, recovering from my little self-recriminations. “I'll get some tea brewing and make some sandwiches.” The ones we ate in East Harbor had been delicious, and I doubted I could duplicate them, but I was going to try.

“I think they'll be fine with their ale instead of tea, but sandwiches would be good.”

Blane helped me again, preparing the food and delivering it. This time, I carried some of the sandwiches to the men myself.

“And here's the pretty little lady what made us such a delicious dinner last night,” the captain said when he saw me emerge on deck where he had the men assembled.

“I hear you had a bit of a battle,” I said. “I hope you'll enjoy these as much as the omelets.”

Blane and I handed out sandwiches and I began to realize how many men were on board, and how much each of them could eat. Almost all had tankards of ale, as my brother implied, but still I asked, “Would any of you like a cup of tea?”

A couple of them took me up on my offer, and I returned to the galley to get mugs of tea for them. I was pleased that none had made improper advances and yet wondered why not. Had they decided to treat me like a lady? But when I was returning to them, I heard a few remarks on the order of, “She's a right pretty one” and “Wonder if she'd care to warm my bed.”

Both the captain and my brother spoke up, warning the men off, and Lem added, “If'n you want good vittles 'til we reach Fairhaven, you'd best let her be.” So I knew I had three men looking out for me.

Still, I had a request of my own. I handed round the tea and then asked the captain, “Would you or one of your men show me how to defend myself, should we be beset by pirates again?”

“I'll do it myself,” Captain Woryn said as a few of his men tried to volunteer. “D'ya know anything about using a sword?”

I shook my head. “Blane does, but I never learned. I just watched him and the other boys”

“She can use a bow and arrow, though,” my brother told him.

“Well, that's a start. I'll give you a few pointers after breakfast,” the captain said. “Lem, you and Rog can stand watch until daylight. The rest of you, off to your bunks. The pirates should leave us alone for the while, but there's tell that the Ruda have been seen in these waters this time o' year. We'll need to be on the lookout for 'em.”

As Blane and I returned down the stairs I asked him, “What are Ruda?”

“I think they're some kind of man-eating sea creatures.” He didn't seem too sure. “Don't worry, I think the men will make sure you're safe.”

“Oh, Blane, you didn't try to influence them, did you?” I asked.

“Well, I couldn't be having them have impure thoughts about my sister, could I?” he replied. “I just nudged their thoughts a little, that's all.”

“You're getting pretty good at that, aren't you? Maybe too good.” We'd reached the galley and I told him, “I'll finish up here. Get some rest. Who knows what we'll encounter tomorrow.”

He nodded and went off to his bunk. As I cleaned up the wood cutting board I'd used when I made the sandwiches, I thought about all the things I was learning, things I'd never imagined. And I realized what a sheltered life I'd lived up until now. All I'd wanted was to learn what the boys were learning, but I'd never given any thought to using those skills in a dangerous situation. It was all play, really, at least back in Holmdale where the only danger was from poisonous plants and a few small but wild animals.

As I finished cleaning up, I looked around the galley in the dim light of the torch hanging over one of the cupboards. My eyes fell on some dried fish, amongst all the other dried meats, and an idea began to form in my head for the next meal, or better still for luncheon, based on a recipe I'd seen in one of the cook's books.

It made sense that these men would eat a lot of fish. After all, they sailed the seas and probably caught all manner of sea creatures, hopefully not Ruda, although who knew, it might be quite tasty. As an addition to their other supplies, fresh fish would be helpful.

I hadn't eaten much fish myself, except for the times we visited our relatives in Dunswell, where fishing in the river, The Flanny, that ran through the city was a common occurrence. The river was wide there, as the streams that fed it converged before it continued north to the western reaches of the Great Sea.

Maybe, besides learning sword fighting, I'd learn to fish, too. That could be very useful. But right now, I needed more sleep. As I told Blane, we had to be awake for whatever happened on the morrow.

I woke a few hours later to hear the men on the stairs, some going up and some down. Under my blankets I quickly changed my clothes again, putting Donal's trousers on and the last of my clean blouses. Perhaps there was somewhere on board where I could wash my clothes and hang them to dry. Little did I know.

I got to work preparing breakfast. I decided on fried cheese sandwiches and tea, along with sliced fruit. There was a burlap sack marked 'coffee', but I couldn't believe at first that there'd be any of that aboard. And then I thought, why not? Did they sail as far as Pocka where coffee beans were supposed to grow on trees? It might be rare in Holmdale, but maybe they drank coffee all the time aboard the Flying Dragon.

Lem stopped in on his way back to bed and I asked him, “Would you like some breakfast before you go back to sleep?”

He grinned at me and I noticed for the first time that he was missing a few teeth.

“And do the men aboard drink coffee? Would you like some?”

“Oh, aye. They all do. But I'd best not have any now. Mayhap later, Miss.”

I gave him one of the first sandwiches, and as I started to look for the pot used to brew the coffee, I thought about the many places he and the other crew had visited.

“How many different languages do you know?” I asked him. I found the pot on a shelf near the stove, but I really didn't know how to use it, and Lem must have realized that, because he came over and took the strangely shaped pot out of my hands.

“You puts the coffee in here,” he said, pointing, “and the water, thus.” He got some from the pump and added it to the pot. “Then you set it on the stove. 'S all thar is to it.”

“Thanks, Lem,” I told him.

“You was askin' 'bout languages?”

“Yes.” I pressed my lips together and retrieved one of the foreign language books from my pack. “Have you ever seen anything like this writing?”

He shook his head. “Can't say as I have.”

Well, maybe he'd never seen that kind of writing, but sailors used star charts. I dug out the other book and opened it to one that looked so different from any I'd ever seen. “Ever seen a chart like this one?”

His eyes went wide and he shook his head. “Must be the stars from t'other side of the world.”

I nodded. “Well, enjoy your sandwich and sleep well.”

When I brought the men their breakfasts, they seemed pleased to see it. Some sat on the deck, mending sails, while others, including my brother, were cleaning the bright work. The ship bobbed on the gentle waves and the sun shone on the sea. It was a lovely day, even with kestrels flying across the sky and screeching at us.

Later when I was cleaning up from breakfast, one of the seamen appeared in the galley doorway with a huge wicker basket, filled with clothes. “Ye'll tend to the washing,” he said. It was obviously not a question but an order.

I looked at him quizzically. “Where do I wash them? And then where do I hang them all?” The clothing in question appeared to be the men's linen shirts and under things.

He shrugged. “I don't know where Sauren kept the tub,” he said. “Somewheres in the galley, I 'spose.” He turned and walked away.

I searched for a tub or basin big enough to do the washing for the next half hour, and finally found it masquerading as a kindling holder. Putting the wood in with the rest of the logs, I wiped the tub out with a wet rag and filled it with water. I wondered if there was a way to heat the water, because I knew that cold, it wouldn't get the shirts as clean. I also didn't see any kind of soap. I'd been scrubbing the dishes and skillet without soap until now, but surely there had to be something for the clothes.

I had just about given up looking when the captain himself showed up. “Any problems?” he asked.

“I'd like to heat the water to wash the clothes, and I wondered if there was any soap somewhere,” I said.

“I think Sauren used to put the tub up on the stove before filling it so he could heat the water,” the captain said.

Now why didn't I think of that? But now it was already full of water, and I'd never be able to lift it. Captain Woryn solved my problem by calling for two of the burliest of the crewmen. They easily lifted the tub.

Meanwhile, he was looking around the room, I suppose looking for the soap. Suddenly his eyes lit up. There was a small pouch hidden behind the flour and beans. “There it is,” he said pointing.

Sure enough, inside the pouch was a cake of what smelled like the soap the laundress used on the sheets back in Holmdale. I took it out and scraped some into the vat. I was just tall enough to reach the top, but the captain pointed to a wooden stool.

“Sauren wer'n't much bigger 'en you,” one of the men said. Like many of the sailors he was tall as well as burly.

“He used this paddle,” the other man volunteered, handing me a long stick with one flattened end and I could see how that would work to stir the clothes in the tub.

“Thank you all,” I said, with a little curtsy and they laughed heartily.

Once they were gone, I set to work, washing the clothes. I still wasn't sure where I'd hang them all, but expected that I'd find out. The wet but clean clothes went back into the basket, and then I had the problem of emptying the tub. I didn't want to wash my own things in the water I'd used for the crew.

I tried ladling the water out of the tub with a small pot and pouring it down the sluice to a hole in the floor of the galley that seemed to serve that purpose, but it was tedious work. Once the tub was half empty, though, I could push it to the side and use a very large pot to do my own laundry. I'd have to ask Blane if he needed anything cleaned.

My own things I hung near my bed. There weren't many, just a few blouses and underclothes. Then I searched for a clothesline in the many cupboards, coming across some odd devices, but no rope. But this was a ship, and ships used lots of rope, I reasoned.

I climbed the stairs to the deck and looked around. There were coils of rope everywhere. Not wanting to take something that was needed elsewhere, I asked one of the men if I could have some for wash lines. And he showed me a place on deck that was already set up for drying laundry! After that, I never hesitated to ask when I had a problem to be solved.

As I was draping the shirts and things over the lines, I found that some looked well-worn, and could use some mending. I wondered if it was part of my job to do that. As much as I hated to sew, I sensed in myself a growing feeling of wanting to take care of these men, and vowed that, once they were dry, I'd find thread and needle and do a proper job.

 

Chapter 10.

Before I knew it, it was time to begin preparing luncheon. I'd almost forgotten the captain's promise to teach me to use a sword. Maybe after lunch.

When I did the laundry, I'd been thinking about what I'd do with the fish. The recipe, as I remembered it, called for mixing the fish with herbs, flour and a little egg, and then frying the mixture. I thought I might change it a little by adding some bacon for flavoring and to provide grease for frying, as it had for the omelets.

I went down to the galley with that in mind. It turned out to be harder than I thought, because I wasn't just mixing small amounts of the ingredients. I had to look in Sauren's recipe book to find the right proportions to use. And once I had, there was a new dilemma. The recipe called for something called corn meal. Was that like flour? Would regular flour do? I wondered, looking around for something that might be corn meal. Really, I had to figure out what all of the items in the galley were!

I found corn. Would grinding it give me 'corn meal'? How fine should I grind it? And how could I identify everything else I had to work with?

I knew sugar and salt, flour too. Corn and beans were easy, and rice. But what was the green stuff in the little straw basket? I sniffed it, then tasted it. Some kind of herb, I guessed. And the yellow powder in the small barrel next to the sugar? It smelled and tasted vaguely of corn – maybe this was the corn meal. I decided to experiment with a small amount of fish and the yellow powder, and if it turned out all right, make a much larger amount.

Blane came into the galley just as I finished the first fish cake. “Here, try this,” I told him, putting it on a plate and handing him one of the forks. The tines were twisted but it still worked.

He bit into it and said, “Yow! That's still hot!” He blew on it, the way Mother had taught us to cool food that was just too hot to eat, then tried another bite. “But good!” He smiled at me.

“OK. I'll make up a new batch and start to fry them for the captain and crew,” I told him, amazed at myself. All those years of wishing I didn't have to learn to cook, or sew for that matter, and what skills were going to come in handy here? Cooking and sewing, of course.

My fish cakes were well received by the crew of the Flying Serpent. With the captain in a good mood after his meal, I thought it would be a good time to ask him to make good on his promise to work with me on my sword-yielding skills.

“Oh, aye,” he said, swallowing the last of his fourth fish cake, or maybe it was his fifth. “When you've washed up from lunch, come up on deck. We'll give it a try.”

That was all the incentive I needed to finish the dishes and pots quickly. It was like the day Madoc had agreed to teach me magic. I felt elated.

When I returned to the deck, the captain was waiting. The swords he had were not the practice swords that Blane, Donal and the others used, though. They were long, sharp steel blades with hefty handles.

“Blane, come join your sister,” he said.

I thought that Blane must have used one of these swords against the pirates, but he was almost as unfamiliar with it as I was. Still, the principles of the 'magic' Madoc had taught him would work. I wondered if I could use them too. I was certainly going to give them a try.

“You hold the hilt like this,” the captain demonstrated for me, then handed me one of the swords.

It was much heavier than I thought it would be, but I was able to hold it up. I practiced letting the energy flow from me to the sword and found that I could control it. Then I saw Captain Woryn had done the same with Blane. Were we going to be dueling each other? It made sense from the captain's view. There was no danger to any of his crew.

“The objective is to reach your opponent with the sharp tip of the blade, but if you slice him with the side, he'll still be injured,” the captain said.

I had no intention of injuring my brother! And I was pretty sure he didn't want to hurt me either. “Don't hold back, Nissa,” Blane told me before we faced each other.

How could I not? This wasn't fair!

“Begin!” the captain shouted. We'd gathered a crowd of spectators, just what I needed to make this complete.

Slowly I circled to the right, looking for an opportunity to reach Blane. Maybe if I just touched him lightly with the sword, this exercise would be over. I wished I'd never asked the captain for lessons.

And then I 'felt' the touch of Blane's mind in mine. It was like a feather and tickled, but it also made clear that he was thinking the same things I was. 'Parry' it said, 'feint', and I could picture what he was telling me, what those moves were like. Suddenly, I remembered all those sessions I'd watched of my brothers and the other boys practicing with their swords, the way Blane and Donal became one with their blades. I let those memories combine with the energy inside me to flow through my arm, my hand, my very fingers to the sword I held, and I knew I could do this. I also felt certain that Blane could too, and that, together, we'd show the captain what a real but friendly sword fight could be.

The blades rang out as they touched. Our strokes were fluid and sure. Barely touching each other, we parried for fifteen to twenty minutes. I was hardly aware of the shouts from the crew. My concentration was on what I was doing. But finally the captain called out, “Enough!”

Blane held his sword straight up in front of him and bowed to me, and I followed suit.

“I don't think you need any lessons, Mistress Nissa,” the captain said with a broad smile. “That was a wonderful display of well matched swordsmanship.”

I handed the sword back to him and, rather than comment on the sword fight, said, “I'd best be collecting the laundry to fold and mend, sir. The wind's picking up and there are dark clouds ahead.”

He chuckled then turned to look. “You're quite right.” He began barking orders to his men while I gathered the clothing off of the lines. Before taking it all down to the galley, I asked Blane if he had any that needed washing.

“I'll come down and bring it to you.”

I was mending one of the men's shirts, and wondering how, or if, they knew who the clothing belonged to, when Blane brought me a couple of shirts to wash for him.

“I'll have these back to you later today,” I told him. “Look at this,” I said, pointing to a mark on the collar of the shirt I was working on. “I think they must each have a mark for their clothing.”

Blane nodded. “I doubt many of them can read, but that would be an easy way for them to distinguish. That looks like a bird.”

“Yes, I think it is.” I shrugged. “Maybe it's Dar's. A dar is a kind of bird, isn't it?”

Blane picked one of the others. “And this one's a leaf. It has to be Fel's.”

“How clever,” I said. “I mean the marks, but you are too, of course,” I teased.

He grinned. “You did well with the sword.”

“I think I'm getting the knack of using the energies I have. It seems to get easier as I go.”

“Yes, it does that.”

“Did Madoc know how far you'd gotten with the techniques? Did he say anything about what is and what is not allowed?” I was thinking about Blane's ability to control other people. An unscrupulous person might use that for ill.

“I was just beginning to see the possibilities for using them when he left,” Blane said with a shake of his head. “And I couldn't very well discuss it with Father.”

Just then, a bang and a squeal from above got our attention, and Blane had to hold on to the nearest cupboard to keep from falling as the ship lurched. Fortunately, I was sitting on the bed at the moment.

“I guess we've sailed into the storm,” he said, as another lurch in the opposite direction almost knocked him over.

“Come sit down,” I said, shifting to make room for him.

But he shook his head. “I may be needed on deck. Stay here where you're safe.”

There he was telling me to stay put while he braved the elements and who knew what else.

“I'm coming with you,” I insisted, standing and grabbing his arm for balance. We made our way haltingly to the stairway, and up to the deck, which was awash with water, not only from the high waves that were buffeting it, but from something else.

“What is it?” I shouted to be heard above the gale and the sounds coming from the creature we could barely make out as it loomed out of the water.

“Never seen a ruda before, Miss?” the man closest to me asked. Like the other men on deck, he had a long wooden pole in his hand and was aiming the pointed end at the creature. “Ya gotta hit 'em in the eye to do any damage, see.”

I saw Blane grab one of the spears and hoped he'd be careful, but I also knew he'd have better aim than most of the other men. They were all slipping on the wet deck, giving them a very unstable base to throw the spears from. One after another, the poles were thrown, and one after another they failed to do more than glance off the creature.

Now I could get a better idea of the size of it. The ruda was at least twice as long as a man is tall, with a shiny black surface. And jutting out at various points on that surface were pointy spines that I later learned were poisonous. When it opened it's huge mouth I could see razor-sharp teeth, several rows of them.

I didn't think my arrows could pierce that hide, and I certainly couldn't get near enough to use a sword on it.

I found a relatively dry spot to stand and took one of the spears that had bounced off the surface of the ruda and fallen back onto the ship. I closed my eyes, picturing where I'd seen the creature last, and let the spear fly. But like the ones thrown by the crew, it just slid across the ruda.

I wasn't about to give up. Picking up another fallen spear, and then sending a signal down my arm to it, I willed it to sail over the heads of the men on deck and straight into the eye of the creature.

A great shout made me open my eyes. Two spears protruded from the same eye, and the ruda was now thrashing even more wildly as it tried to shake them loose. Was one mine? Where had the other come from?

Soon the thrashing slowed and the animal let out an awful cry. Then it was still, and the men around me were cheering. They were slapping me on the back, me and my brother.

“You did it!” Captain Woryn shouted, and several of the others echoed him. Then they were using hooks to drag the creature aboard. Did I say two man lengths? More like four!

“Careful of the spines!” someone yelled, and another added, “'specially the tail.”

I could see that the back end of the ruda held a profusion of spines, all deadly poison. The men hacked at the thing, carefully cutting away the thick hide with the spines, then cutting off chunks of the meat and exclaiming about what a wonderful dinner they'd have.

Did they really expect me to cook this? I had no idea how to season it, whether to bake it, roast it, or fry it. “Does it taste like fish?” I asked Lem. The flesh seemed firmer, denser than any fish I'd ever cooked or eaten.

“More like venison,” he replied.

Well, that at least gave me a clue. It would have to roast for a long time so that it wasn't tough. And there were some vegetables that went well with venison. I could check Sauren's recipes. I was so preoccupied with thoughts about cooking the ruda, I didn't at first notice the looks I was getting from the crew. Looks of admiration. But I never liked to be the center of attention so I made a speedy withdrawal to the galley with the excuse that I had to start cooking straightaway.

By the time dinner was ready, the seas had calmed and the wind died down. The decks were dry again. Dinner was a celebration of sorts. The men insisted on toasting Blane and me. I begged off the strong ale they were drinking, but my brother couldn't. Still, he nursed the one mugful and declined every time someone wanted to refill his cup.

The ruda turned out a little stringy and not as tender as I would have liked, but the men didn't seem to notice. It certainly didn't taste like any fish I'd ever eaten. Maybe ruda weren't fish at all, I thought.

It had been a long day. Once I'd cleaned up after the meal, I went to bed. We'd be landing in Fairhaven in the morning, and who knew what would await us there. The men called out 'goo'night' as they passed the door to the galley. I'd be sad to leave them after this journey but who knew whether we'd meet again. Blane and I would have to sail back to the mainland at some point, and it might very well be on the Flying Dragon.

 

Chapter 11.

Unlike the previous one, that night was uneventful. When I woke the next morning, I quickly prepared breakfast and coffee for the crew, then took it up on deck with the help of two of the men. The sun was rising and seemed to shimmer over the buildings I could already see on the shore. As we neared land, the entire city glistened in the sun.

Fairhaven was at least as large as East Harbor, but it was much more beautiful to behold. Whatever material the buildings were made of seemed airy and full of light. The shapes of the towers were graceful, the great spaces between structures made them seem less ponderous. But it was obvious this port was just as busy as the one we'd left less than two days before.

The man who met the Flying Dragon looked very much like the harbormaster in East Harbor. Were they brothers or related in some way? I never did find out. Perhaps men who looked like him, above average height, bland faces featuring clear gray eyes, short-cut hair of an undefined color, had an inclination toward the job. Or perhaps those who became harbormasters adopted that look somehow.

In any event, Captain Woryn seemed to know him well. They discussed what cargo was to be unloaded and how much help was needed from the shoremen who worked the dock. Finally, the captain called Blane and me over. “My passengers will be debarking here,” he said. “They're looking for Master Madoc.”

“The last I knew he was still at the Citadel,” the harbormaster said. “He came because the king was ill.”

The king? I wondered. I thought it was his father who'd been sick.

“Has he recovered?” Captain Woryn asked.

“So we've heard. Matter of fact, I saw him at the produce market last week,” the harbormaster replied.

“A letter from Madoc's mother arrived in Holmdale over a week ago,” Blane said. “She must have believed that he was back there.”

“That is odd,” the harbormaster said. “Still, you'd best ask at the Citadel,” he told us, pointing at the hill easily visible from where we stood beyond the main part of the city. The building atop the hill looked like a castle and I suddenly realized that's exactly what the Citadel was!

It didn't look that far away, maybe an hour's walk. I turned to the ship's captain. “Thank you very much for allowing us to cross the sea with you,” I said.

“It was my great pleasure,” he said with a smile. “I hope I will see you two again someday.”

Blane and I hoisted our packs, loaded with our now clean clothes and the remainder of our food, supplemented by some the captain said we could take from the ship. We began our walk, but after an hour, the hill and the Citadel on it didn't seem much closer. We'd already passed through a large part of the city and there was still much more to go. Yet, the deeper we got into it, the lovelier it seemed. Green parks spotted the landscape between the tall buildings lending a feel of country in the middle of a bustling city. I decided it was much larger even than East Harbor, but I felt more comfortable in Fairhaven.

We stopped at one of the parks to rest on a bench under a tree and to eat some bread, cheese and fruit from our packs and drink some water. “Blane, have you tried to reach out with your mind for Madoc?” I asked.

“Hmmm.” He swallowed the cheese in his mouth and said, “Yes, I have, but … nothing.”

I nodded. I'd tried too, but there wasn't any sense of him. The effort only made me realize how much I'd missed his comforting presence ever since he left Holmdale.

As we sat in the park, people walked by, women with babies and small children in small wagons or strapped to their chests, older people walking slowly, older kids running and skipping, and every one of them smiling.

We continued on, walking through all sorts of neighborhoods, but they all seemed clean and neat, even the ones that were obviously inhabited by poorer citizens. And everywhere, the outsides of the buildings were decorated with colored glass and stone. That was why they reflected the sun and seemed so dazzling.

I studied the buildings as we passed. How did the people get to the upper floors? I didn't see any stairways. How did it feel to be so high above the ground?

Another hour and we were finally getting closer to the hill. As we did, though, I saw that there were gates at the start of a road that wound up the hill to the Citadel. I just hoped we'd be able to get through without any problem.

I became very aware of the fact that I hadn't bathed in days. Yes, I'd washed my hands and face in the galley before we left the ship, and my clothes were clean. I wished I could wash the rest of me before I met Madoc's family, but there was nowhere I could do that.

We finally reached the gates. They turned out to be mostly ornamental. Oh, there was a guard in a uniform, but all we had to do was give him our names and say we were friends of Master Madoc, and he let us through. The road up the hill was steep, at least compared to the ones through the city. By the time we arrived at the citadel, I was hot and tired, the calves of my legs were about to give way, and my packs felt heavier than ever.

The doors to the Citadel were closed, but there was a bell pull. I looked at Blane and gave it a tug. One of the doors opened slightly and a man poked his head out. “Are you the two that Rand let through the gates at the bottom of the hill?” he asked.

I wondered how he knew about that. Even if we weren't the two, what would prevent us from saying 'yes'? But of course we were. “That's us,” Blane told him.

He opened the door wider, and ushered us inside. “Please, come with me.”

It was even more castle-like inside. The word that came to mind was 'opulent'. I think the floors were marble, although I'd never seen marble floors before. Intricate sconces on the walls throughout the large entry hall provided plenty of light. I was still staring around me when a young woman approached from one of the many doorways off of the hall. She was my age, I thought, or maybe a little older, and a little shorter. Dressed in a pale blue gown with a long white lace apron over it, she walked gracefully toward us, a welcoming smile on her lovely oval face.

She looked a little like Madoc, had his dark coloring and pale skin. Maybe she was his sister Carys. We'd find out soon enough.

“Welcome to the Citadel,” she said in a pleasant voice. “We've wanted to meet you both!”

How did she know about us? Had Madoc told her? “Thank you,” was all I could say.

“I'm Carys,” she said, holding out both hands to take ours. “You must be tired after your long journey.”

I was, but it wasn't the first thing I thought about. “We came because your mother's letter to Madoc arrived at the manor in Holmdale over a week ago, but Madoc hadn't returned from his travels here.”

“We've retraced his path, but no one's seen him along the way,” Blane added, hoping, I think, to convey the seriousness of the situation.

“Oh, dear!” she said. She shook her head. “We had no idea when he left... You say, no one's seen him?”

“I'm afraid not,” I replied. “It's possible that he never left Fairhaven.”

“There are so many possibilities, but we hoped you and your family would be able to help us decide which was the most probable.”

She seemed to grasp the situation immediately. “We'll have to tell Father and Mother about this, as well as Elwyn and Gareth.” Those were Madoc's older brothers I knew. “While I'm gathering them, you must want to freshen up. Have you had luncheon?” She began to lead us through a different doorway than the one she'd entered from.

“We stopped in one of the parks in Fairhaven for a bite of food,” I told her.

“I'll have someone bring refreshments then,” she said. “Nissa, you can use the room next to mine, and Blane, well, I suppose you can use Madoc's room while you're here.”

“We won't be staying long,” my brother protested.

“Hmmm. Well, at least long enough for us all to plan what to do next.” She indicated a door on our right and told him, “You're in there.”

He hesitated, looking at me, but decided that for now he'd follow Carys' instructions. She and I continued down the hallway, passing several other doors. Were they all bedrooms? This place was so much larger than the manor! Finally, towards the end of the hallway, she opened a door and told me, “This one should do you nicely.”

I walked through the door into a dream room. A huge bed, just for me, was piled with a duvet, comforters and pillows, all in a lovely shade of green. A small table held a ewer of water and a chest next to it, had two drawers for clothes. A comfortable-looking brocade-covered chair sat at a desk. The two tall windows were covered with drapes that matched the chair.

“What a beautiful room!” I told Carys. “Back at the manor I have to share with my sister.”

“Morna, right?” Carys said. “Madoc told us all about your family. That's why I was glad to have a chance to meet you.”

“I haven't asked. Is your father much better now?” I suddenly remembered why Madoc had come here in the first place.

“Oh, yes. Madoc was actually a big help in making him well. Father's healers were at a loss, but Madoc knew just what to do!” She walked to a narrow door on one side of the room. “There's a tub in there, if you'd like. I can have someone bring up hot water...”

“Is it that obvious that I haven't bathed in a few days?” I asked with a smile.

“Well, no, but I'm sure it was difficult...I mean a journey like that...there probably weren't many opportunities to...” She seemed embarrassed to have asked.

I laughed. “It's all right. I would love a bath! I was able to wash some of my clothes and Blane's on the ship that brought us across the sea, but it was hard enough to find ways to change my clothes, let alone bathe.”

“Was it hard? Exciting?” She sounded so eager to hear about our trip.

“A lot of both, as well as sometimes frightening, and other times enlightening,” I said. “Have you traveled at all?” I was finding it easy to talk to her. I could see us becoming great friends, that is if I spent time with her. But I knew that wasn't to be. We'd be leaving again before long, and I might never see Carys or this place again.

“No, I've never left Fairhaven,” she said. “There are so many things I want to see!” she said wistfully.

“Well, I'd hardly ever left Holmdale before this,” I said. “Save for trips to Dunswell to visit relatives and see the ruins, and once or twice to our capital Arris, I've spent my entire life at the manor.”

She smiled at me. “Maybe some day I'll be able to go off like you did.” She looked around the room and then back at me. “Well, I'd best be getting you that hot water. And then I'll try to gather the family together. I'll knock when we're ready for you and Blane.”

 

Chapter 12.

Once she was gone, I sat down on the chair, which was indeed very comfortable, and began to go through my packs. I needed to find something that was presentable for meeting Madoc and Carys' parents and brothers. From what I heard from the harbormaster in Fairhaven and now from Carys herself, I was beginning to realize that Madoc was not just the son of a wealthy family, but of the King of the East Islands himself.

I wondered why no one had ever said anything about that. That would make him a prince, of course. He'd never struck me as very princely. He was just...Madoc. A wizard, yes, and a wonderful mentor and friend even, but royal? It was something to consider.

I chose the nicest of the skirts I had with me, a black one in a soft fabric, but all of my blouses were plain ones, because I thought those would be the best for our travels. I decided to dress one up with the brooch my mother had given me for my seventeenth birthday. It had a very dark green stone in the center, and worked silver surrounding it.

A knock on the door to the wash room was followed by a soft voice saying, “Your bath's ready now, Miss.”

I gathered the clothes I'd chosen, and entered the wash room. There was, indeed, a tub inside, the largest I'd ever seen, and it was more than two-thirds full of very warm water. I stripped off all of my clothes and carefully climbed in. It felt mercifully good to sink into the water. A cake of sweet-smelling soap sat on a ledge that I could reach from inside the tub and I was able to wash both my body and my hair with it. I could have stayed in the tub for a long time, but gradually the water began to cool, and I knew that Carys would be coming for me soon.

When I climbed out of the tub again, I noticed some toweling on a stand and dried myself with it. Feeling better than I had in days, I quickly dressed again. Back in the bedroom there was a hand mirror on the table next to the ewer, as well as a hair brush. I used the mirror to adjust the brooch, and then brushed my damp hair. I had just finished when Carys' knock came on the door.

I opened it to find her with Blane right next to her. He'd taken the time to clean up, as well.

“The family's waiting in the drawing room,” Carys told us. “Come along.”

The drawing room, through one of the other doorways off the entry hall, was furnished with several couches and chairs. Portraits hung on the walls, along with sconces to light the room. Seated on one of the couches was a regal-looking couple, the man wearing a brocade coat and well-pressed dark trousers, the woman in an elegant maroon gown, her black hair piled on her head. A younger man sat on the edge of one of the chairs. He wore a uniform of some sort. Another man stood beside that chair.

The woman rose and told us, “Please have a seat. We want to hear what you have to tell us about our son.” Her voice was deep for a woman, and slightly raspy, not as pleasant as her daughter's.

I took one of the chairs, and Blane another, and the woman sat down again. I looked to my brother to start our tale.

He told of the letter that the traveler had brought to the manor, of how we waited for Madoc to return, and of how we'd set off to find him. They didn't need to hear all of the details of our travels, but he ended by repeating what we'd told Carys. “No one seems to have seen Master Madoc since he left the Citadel.”

The two younger men rushed to talk, but their father stopped them. “Madoc left here almost a month ago,” he said. “The fact that he wasn't seen leaving Fairhaven could mean that he never did, or that he left in a way that no one would have noticed him.”

“Could he have gone north east, and crossed to Star Island?” one of the other men, the one in uniform, asked.

“Why would he do that, Gareth?” his brother asked. “More likely he found passage west with someone who didn't know him.”

“The harbormaster in Fairhaven never saw him after he came here,” I said.

The other man, Elwyn, shrugged. “He could have missed him.” Obviously he didn't think much of the harbormaster's observation skills.

“No one saw him in East Harbor, either, nor anywhere along the Merchant's Road all the way to Arrandis,” Blane said.

I knew it would muddy the waters, but I had to inject, “We saw quite a few people heading toward Meecham. Some told us that the Crimson Orb might be there. Is there any possibility that he'd go looking for it?”

“Why would he?” Gareth asked. “He's not interested in mythical artifacts.” He chuckled. “My brother likes his magic pure and natural.”

“That's nothing to laugh at,” Carys said. “But I agree, it's not the sort of thing he'd be interested in.”

“What...what is the Orb, exactly?” I'd gotten the impression it was something valuable. Why else would so many people be seeking it?

“There's a story, a fairytale actually, that the Orb fell from the skies on a night when both moons shone at the same time,” Madoc's mother said. I remembered that her name was Branna. I knew her name but had never been told she was a queen. “Now we all know that never happens. One rises after the other has set. But it's thought that anyone who possesses the Orb can make the moons obey their wishes. They can control the tides and maybe even the motion of the stars.”

“And that and two colens can buy you a cup of tea!” Gareth said with derision.

“Still, there are people who believe things like that, just as there are people who believe in the old religions,” his father said. I remembered his name was Owen . King Owen I guess he was.

“What's it supposed to look like?” Blane asked. “The Orb, I mean.”

“Well, it's crimson, and spherical, but the size is open to question,” Queen Branna said.

“And whatever it looks like or can do or even whether it exists at all, it still doesn't get us closer to finding out where Madoc went to,” Gareth said.

I agreed with him, but I'd been curious about the Orb. Now that my curiosity was satisfied, I was just as anxious as everyone to discern a way to find Madoc.

“So, we're agreed that he didn't go northeast?” Blane asked.

“It's highly unlikely,” the King said. “Star Island is a nice enough place for a holiday, but he had no reason to go there.”

“Isn't there a third island in the group?” I asked, remembering my geography lessons.

“You're thinking of Faro. No one goes there. It's just a hunk of rock, hardly habitable, and certainly not a destination,” Branna said. “No, Madoc went west again. If he went anywhere.”

“I can have my men comb the streets of Fairhaven for anyone who's seen him since he left the Citadel,” Gareth suggested.

“Good idea,” his father said.

Gareth rose from his chair, and went to an odd-looking device on the wall, a tube of some sort. He seemed to speak into it, but I couldn't hear what he said. Was this the kind of device that had been used to let the family know that Blane and I were approaching the Citadel? It seemed likely.

A man and a woman entered the room carrying trays with a pot of tea, some cups and some food on them.

“I'm sure you must be hungry,” Queen Branna addressed Blane and me. “Let's have some tea while we decide on what other actions we should take.” She seemed rather calm in the face of the apparent disappearance of her youngest son, but I came to know that was just her manner. No matter what the circumstances, she was always able to stay calm, and thus exert a calming influence on those around her.

Carys poured the tea for us all. No one knew where to start the discussion, but finally King Owen said, “Madoc told us that he would be going directly back to Arrandis when he left here. I can't think of anything that would deter him.”

“Are you saying that someone prevented him from making that trip?” Blane asked.

“Would that be better or worse than knowing that something else happened to him?” Carys asked. “He could have fallen ill, himself.”

“Madoc?” Elwyn said it as if Madoc's usual good health was a bad thing. It was one of the few things he'd said.

“Or had an accident,” I said. It's what I'd been worrying about most. That he'd fallen off his horse somewhere and was lying in some deserted place with no one to care for him.

“We still have to ascertain whether he left the island,” Gareth said.

A man entered, wearing a uniform similar to his. “Sir, one of our men has reported that he saw Master Madoc in the streets of the city three weeks ago.”

“Where?” the King demanded.

“Gibson Street not far from the docks. We've got men combing the area already.”

“That was quick!” I said.

“It's not that large a city,” Gareth replied, then turned to the man who was reporting to him. “Thank you, Tavin,” he said. “Please ask the man to report directly to me. I have some questions for him. And let me know as soon as you hear anything further.”

“Yes, sir!” Tavin saluted, turned on his heels and left.

“So, Madoc didn't leave Fairhaven after all,” Elwyn said.

“Or at least not right away,” Gareth amended. “Perhaps my man will have additional information so we can trace his steps.” He ate a small sandwich thoughtfully. I wondered if his 'men' were an army or police force or something else. I'd have to ask Carys later when we could be alone.

“But what was he doing in Gibson Street?” the King asked.

“Why, what's there?” I asked.

“It's not the best part of the city,” Branna replied. “You may have passed it on your way here,” she added.

We'd walked through all sorts of neighborhoods, but I hadn't paid any attention to the street names.

“So, tell me. Did you really kill a sea monster?” Carys asked, changing the subject entirely.

I practically dropped my teacup. How had she heard about that already? News seemed to travel far and fast in this town, and yet no one here had heard anything about Madoc's activities after he left the Citadel. Very strange.

“Nissa and I must have gotten lucky with our throws,” Blane said, trying to minimize our accomplishment.

“I had no idea what I was doing,” I said meekly. “But ruda turned out to be very tasty, indeed.”

“Oh, who prepared it and how?” Queen Branna asked. Was she really interested in cooking?

“The crew said it was similar to venison. The flesh was certainly not like any fish I'd ever seen or eaten,” I said. “So I used a recipe the previous ship's cook had for venison, and it turned out rather well.”

 

Chapter 13.

As we continued to drink our tea and eat sandwiches and cakes, Madoc's family asked more about our sea voyage. I think that none of them wanted to think about what might have befallen Madoc, and neither did I. Blane and I were able to satisfy their curiosity about our travels aboard the Flying Dragon. He told them about the pirates, since I'd been below decks during that incident, and I was able to watch their faces. They were enthralled, as if we were relating an adventure story from a book.

Tavin returned with another young man in uniform. “This is Colm Goren. He's the one who saw Master Madoc a fortnight ago.”

Colm looked nervous, but stood straight and tall, waiting for the questions he knew would come.

“Was my brother alone?” Gareth began.

“No, sir. That was why I was so surprised. One man walked on either side of him down the street, and they were followed by a fourth man, someone I knew. Galen Evans.”

The name seemed to mean something to Madoc's family. His mother gasped, while the others drew in a deep breath.

“Why would Madoc have anything to do with that miscreant?” the King bellowed.

“I...I don't know, your Highness,” Colm managed to say.

“So, this Galen Evans is a well-known criminal?” I asked.

“Oh, one of the worst in the kingdom!” Gareth declared.

“The harbormaster didn't see Madoc leave the island, but I wonder if this Galen Evans did,” Blane supposed.

“Good point,” the King agreed with a nod.

“Colm, go talk to Harbormaster Barwyn, ask if he's seen Evans board a ship since you saw him with Madoc,” Gareth instructed.

“Aye, right away, sir.” Colm saluted and turned, eager to complete the task he'd been given, and probably just as eager to leave the Citadel.

“How could Evans convince Madoc to go somewhere with him?” Carys wondered aloud. “Why would Evans need him?”

“For his 'magical abilities', of course,” Elwyn said with a sneer. I was beginning to realize that there was no love lost between the two brothers. I still didn't know where Gareth stood, however.

“Perhaps, we should be going, too,” I said, glancing at my brother. “Thank you so much for your hospitality...”

“Nonsense,” Queen Branna said. “You must stay until we decide what to do to find Madoc.”

“Yes, please do!” Carys pleaded.

Blane was looking at her, the way he had ever since we first saw her. I think at that point he would have done anything she asked.

“All right,” I agreed.

“I must consult with the chief of police,” the King said, rising from the couch. So, that wasn't Gareth's position. My list of questions for Carys was lengthening, and I was glad we were staying so I could ask her some of them.

“Blane, would you care to see the Citadel's battlements?” Gareth asked.

I knew it would be hard for my brother to tear himself away from Carys, but he couldn't refuse. “Of course,” he replied, and the two of them left in the King's wake.

“Well, I have...things... to attend to,” Elwyn said. He kissed his mother's cheek and told her, “I'll see you at dinner.”

Dinner? I wondered. What was the meal we just had? Afternoon tea? But before I had time to think about it, the Queen asked me a question, “So, Nissa, my dear. Tell me about court life in Arrandis.”

“I...I don't know much about it, Your Highness,” I stuttered. “I don't think I've ever seen our King and Queen in person, and only a few minor dignitaries visit the Duke and Duchess.”

“Well, King Niall and Queen Isla have missed an opportunity,” she said. “Madoc has told us about your family, as I'm sure my daughter has informed you. And we are so pleased to meet you and your brother at last.”

She was very gracious, just the way I'd always imagined a queen should be. I didn't hesitate to tell her about what life at the manor was like, and about the people there. And as I did, I realized how much I missed my parents, Donal and Morna. I couldn't avoid thinking about them.

But eventually, Carys said, “I want to show Nissa the gardens.”

“Of course, dear. I'll see you both later.”

Carys led me out a side door I hadn't noticed before. It led to a lovely flower garden. The birds and butterflies seemed to love it, as they flew around from blossom to blossom. We sat down on a bench, much like the one I favored back at the manor.

“This place is so beautiful!” I said. “I don't understand why you'd ever want to leave it!”

Carys smiled at me. “But there's so much more to see out in the world. I've lived here my entire life and I guess it doesn't impress me the way it does you.”

I didn't know where to start with my questions, so I just plunged in with the first I could think of. “What does Elwyn have against Madoc?”

Carys chuckled. “You noticed! He shouldn't have anything against anyone. As the eldest son, Elwyn will inherit the Citadel and the crown. He'll rule this land when Father dies, or decides to abdicate in his favor.”

“Certainly he wasn't hoping that your father would die when he was ill recently!”

“Hmmm, I hadn't thought of that, but I doubt it. What you probably don't know is that there is quite a bit of scheming by some of the people in the East Islands. They hope to gain more influence and power. Oh, not as bad as some other kingdoms but it's there. On the surface, our family may seem like any other. But you haven't met any of the other nobles of our land. I try to stay out of it all as much as possible, but it's always there. The spying, the conspiracies.” She shook her head.

“Do you think that Elwyn had anything to do with Madoc's disappearance?” I asked. It was a new question that I'd thought of as she spoke.

“No. “As contrary as Elwyn is, he's not the type to indulge in such activities.”

“Maybe he was taken by someone to further their schemes.”

She shrugged. “I guess it's possible. But I think we would have heard something about it, or someone would have made a claim by now.”

“I did notice how quickly information is transmitted here. What was that tube thing that Gareth used earlier?”

“Those are communication lines. He has them established between many of the public rooms in the Citadel, and of course, his own private quarters, and the men he has stationed throughout the city,” Carys told me.

“His men...it's not a police force is it?”

“Oh, no. In the past, the second son would command the armies, but since we're not at war with anyone at the moment, haven't been for many years in fact, he heads a cadre of guards, a security service for the crown,” she replied.

I was glad she was being so honest with me. Her answers explained a lot of what I'd seen. “And what was the role of the third son or any daughters?” I asked.

“The third son went into the ministry in the past. Religion, you know,” she said, smiling. “Of course, there are so many religions and cults these days, and it was thought that 'magic' was much more useful a profession for Madoc. Fortunately, he had a talent for it.”

“Do you think Elwyn resents that talent?” I asked, although she hadn't completely answered my last question.

“I don't know. I hadn't ever considered that,” Carys replied. She looked into my eyes. “Madoc said that you and your brothers have talent in that area, as well.”

“Yes, I guess we do. You and your family were asking about the fight with the ruda on the ship. Well, I think my throw was so accurate because I was focusing the energies Madoc taught us to use. Has he ever discussed that with you?”

She looked around to be sure we were alone before she confided in me, “Yes, he has. I suppose I have some skill with it too.”

“Then you know it isn't really 'magic'.”

“Oh, but in a way, it is. And that's not to say there isn't magic in this world, you know.” She was so sure about it I was almost convinced myself.

Since Madoc had shared something about it with her, I suddenly wondered what else he'd told her. “Come with me,” I told her. “There's something I want to show you. Maybe you know what it is.”

We went together to the room where my things were and I rifled through one of my packs, taking out the books we'd found in Madoc's rooms. I opened the one without the pictures and showed her the strange language inside. “Have you ever seen writing like this?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Where did you find it?” she asked.

“In your brother's quarters at the manor. We were looking for clues about where he might be and came across this book and a couple of other odd ones.”

“Oh! I suppose we won't know what they are until we can ask Madoc ourselves.”

I nodded. “While you're here, perhaps you can help me decide what to wear for dinner. Are we really going to eat again?”

Carys chuckled. “We seem to eat a little bit five or six times a day. It's a wonder we aren't all fat!” She began to look at my clothes as I brought them out for her inspection. “You wear trousers?” she shouted with astonishment when I took out Donal's britches.

“Those are my brother Donal's. They came in useful for riding a horse, and were actually quite comfortable,” I told her. I sighed. “I'm afraid that I didn't bring much with me. I didn't think we'd be away this long and I couldn't carry much.”

“Your parents must be worried about you,” Carys said.

“We didn't even tell them we were leaving, afraid they might stop us,” I confessed. “So I'm sure they've gone from angry to worried by now.”

“Maybe Gareth has a way to get word to them that you're here and safe.”

“Yes, that would be a good idea,” I agreed.

 

 

Chapter 14.

Carys brought me one of her dresses to wear to dinner that night. It was a deep red, unlike anything I'd ever worn before.

“It looks even better on you than it did on me,” she told me when I'd put it on.

We met my brother on the way to dinner, and I noticed that he wore his best trousers and shirt with a vest I'd never seen before. He later told me that Gareth had loaned it to him.

Dinner was served in a formal dining room at a long dark-wood table covered with a pure white cloth. “Is this how you eat every evening?” I asked Carys in a whisper, and she nodded.

Each place was set with a pewter plate, a white napkin (not embroidered, I noted!), and several forks and spoons and knives. I'd have to watch Carys and her family to know what to use for each course.

But just as two women brought out the first course, a soup that didn't look or smell very good, Colm came rushing into the dining room. “Pardon my intrusion, Sire,” he told the King, “but I have vital information for Prince Gareth.”

“Well, out with it man!” Gareth demanded.

“Sir, the harbormaster saw Gal Evans and four other men in hooded cloaks board the frigate Seamaster almost three weeks ago. He didn't get a good look at any of the other men, but he'd know Evans anywhere.”

“And they were going to East Harbor?” the King asked.

“Aye.”

“I suppose that means we'll be leaving tomorrow to try to track them, although it's been almost too long to pick up their trail,” Blane said.

“You and your sister won't be going alone,” Gareth said, dropping his soup spoon with a clatter.

His mother nodded. “Yes, I think that would be best.”

“I'm going too!” Carys said in a rather high voice.

“Carys? You're not equipped for this kind of travel!” Branna objected.

“I'm as equipped as Nissa was before she left home to come here,” Carys said, firmly setting her jaw. I wasn't as surprised as everyone else by her insistence, but then she'd confided things in me that she'd probably never told anyone else before.

“She'll be fine,” I said, to lend my support to my new friend.

“We'll take two of my men with us,” Gareth said. “If we take any more, it will be more difficult to move with agility.”

“What about horses?” the King asked.

“Yes, we'll take those, too.”

“Ours are waiting for us back near East Harbor,” I said, but of course I couldn't explain how I knew they'd still be there.

“You'll take the fastest ship of the royal fleet,” the King decided.

We spent the next hour discussing the expedition and how we might go about picking up the trail. Dinner was completely forgotten to the dismay of the cooks and serving staff, I think. I noticed that Elwyn didn't participate in the discussion, but I didn't really give it much thought. I guess I'd already accepted his haughty and aloof ways.

Once we had our plans in place, with just a few details that needed to be decided, we finally got back to the food. It was cold by then, of course, but no one seemed to notice. Unfortunately, it wasn't all that tasty, and after the tea and cakes earlier, I wasn't hungry.

So when Carys asked to be excused to go pack, I went with her to her room. It was a larger and grander version of the one she'd put me in. Someone had already lit the fire, so it was warm, almost too warm.

“What do you think I should take?” she asked, as if I was some kind of expert on what to wear on a search and rescue mission. “I don't have any trousers,” she lamented.

“A long skirt or two in a sturdy material should do,” I said. “I've often thought of cutting one down the front and back, and sewing it to make wide-leg pants, but I doubt we'd have the time.”

“That's a splendid idea!” she said. “But you're right. It would take a while, especially the way I sew.” She began pulling clothes out of a wardrobe full of dresses and skirts and beautiful blouses. “What about this one?” she asked holding up a skirt similar to one I had with me.

“Yes, that should do well. What do you wear when you ride?” I asked.

“Oh! Yes, of course.” She rummaged some more and came out with another skirt, even more appropriate for traveling, and a jacket in the same fabric.

“That'll be perfect,” I told her. “You don't want to take too much, because there'll be times you have to carry everything you have.”

She seemed to be getting the idea. I was glad she'd be coming with us. She was a sensible sort, not given to melodramatic behavior, or royal airs, but down-to-earth.

But I felt I had to give her one last warning. “I know you think this will be a great adventure, almost a lark, but it will also be difficult sometimes. I hope you're prepared for nights sleeping on the ground, for a lack of a place to wash and, well, do other things, and for sometimes little and sometimes strange foods to eat.”

“Yes, I know,” she said. “But I want to be part of this. It's not just a desire to have an adventure or see the world. I want to help find my brother.”

I hugged her for that, and bade her 'goodnight', then withdrew to my own room. I wanted to get a good night's sleep, knowing it might be the only one I'd have for a while. It had been a long day, like all the others since Blane and I left home, and I was very tired.

The bed felt wonderful and I fell asleep immediately, but my dreams were disturbing. When I woke in the middle of the night, all I could remember was Madoc's voice calling to me, 'Stay away. It's too dangerous.' I tried to shake off the sense of dread, and poured myself some water. Once I'd finished it, I laid back down and this time my sleep was dreamless, but when I woke in the morning, I still felt uneasy.

That feeling stayed with me as I washed and dressed carefully. I'd save the pants for later in our travels. For now, one of my skirts and blouses would be fine. I packed everything else and was just about to venture forth when Carys knocked on my door.

She was dressed in the first skirt she'd shown me and a simple blouse with comfortable shoes on her feet. She carried the rest of her things in what amounted to a plain pillow case. I made a note to ask Gareth if he had something sturdier for her to use.

We went to breakfast together. The meal was served in yet another room from the dining room where we'd dined the night before. Just as at the manor, food sat in covered dishes on a table along the wall, so we helped ourselves. Carys took only some eggs and a small piece of bread.

“You'd best eat more this morning. We don't know when or where we'll eat again,” I said.

“We'll have luncheon aboard ship,” she said. “I expect we'll have enough to eat at least on that part of the journey.”

She was right, I realized. It wouldn't be like our voyage on the Flying Dragon, although we ate fairly well then, too, but only because I was in charge of the galley. “Will there be a cook aboard?” I asked.

Carys shrugged. “I think so. We'll have to ask Father about that.”

As we sat down, Blane and Gareth came in. “We've been arranging for the horses,” Gareth announced. “We'll ride to the dock and take some of them aboard with us.”

Before I forgot about it, I asked him if he had a saddle bag or some other kind of pack for his sister. He smiled when he looked at her pillow case full of clothing. “I think we can come up with something more suitable than that!”

Queen Branna joined us. She looked rather worried, and began to fuss over her daughter. “Are you sure you want to take this perilous journey?” she asked.

The qualms I'd been feeling returned to the surface. I'd been suppressing them by focusing on the preparations for this expedition, but I knew that none of us had any idea what perils lay before us. Still, as dangerous as it might prove to be, I was more convinced than ever that Madoc had been abducted for some nefarious plot and we had to rescue him.

Branna finally gave up trying to persuade Carys to stay behind, but then insisted that Gareth swear to her that he would protect his sister at all costs.

“Mother, my men and I will make sure that no harm comes to anyone in our party,” he said. “I promise.”

“We'll send word to your parents that you arrived safely here but will be a while longer, looking for Madoc. And that Gareth and his men are with you,” she told Blane and me.

The King arrived before we set off. He'd been making the arrangements for the royal ship to take us to East Harbor. I wondered whether he'd done more than that to assist us, but I wasn't about to ask.

The King and Queen came out to the stables with us. I wasn't surprised when they each embraced their son and daughter, and wished them a good journey, but then the Queen hugged me as well, and whispered in my ear, “Stay close to Carys.”

I smiled at her and said, “I will.” Then I mounted a horse, not too different from Gallin, and the four of us rode down the hill, through the gates of the Citadel and into the city.

 

 

Chapter 15.

It was a much faster trip to the dock on horseback than on foot, of course. The city looked a little different that way, too, but just as beautiful. “Don't expect East Harbor to look like this,” I called to Carys who rode beside me. She just nodded.

Men in the uniform of Gareth's guards met us near the harbor. I was happy to see that one of the two who were to accompany us was Colm. He seemed like a very observant young man. The other was older and larger. That might be an advantage, but we would see.

The harbormaster greeted us and said the ship was ready and waiting for us all to board. It was called the Queen Bronwyn after King Owen's greatgrandmother, and was shinier, newer and much more stately than the Flying Dragon. The crewmen wore pristine white uniforms, and treated us like royalty, which was only fitting since Carys and Gareth were.

The quarters below decks were much more spacious, although not as sumptuous as the rooms at the Citadel.

“We'll sail within the hour,” the captain announced. “The King has requested we make good speed, so we should have you in East Harbor by late tomorrow afternoon.”

That was quite a bit faster than the Flying Dragon. I just hoped we wouldn't meet any ruda along the way, or pirates for that matter.

“This should be the easy part of our travels,” Blane said, settling on one of the settees in a below decks common room.

“Nissa says the ship you crossed on before wasn't like this,” Carys said.

“It was a merchant vessel, not equipped for passengers like this one,” he said. He began to describe it, and told her more about our voyage. She listened to him raptly and I could see him preen at her attention.

Leaving them to chat, I began to explore. I was approaching a closed door that I thought might lead to the galley when I heard a voice, “I wouldn't go in there, Miss.” It was Colm, heading towards the sleeping quarters carrying some pillows.

“What's in there?” I asked.

“That's called the engine room,” he said. “This ship runs...well, differently from any you've seen before.”

“And how would that be?” He couldn't make a statement like that and then leave it without any further explanation, could he?

“I'm afraid I can't say, Miss.” He continued on his way.

I stared at the door for a few minutes, then decided maybe I didn't really want to know, and returned to the common room.

Gareth had joined my brother and Carys. Perhaps he knew more about what moved the ship across the waters of the sea instead of the usually sails.

“Colm told me that this ship runs on a different kind of power,” I said, then waited for Gareth to explain. Instead his face clouded over.

“What is it, Gareth?” his sister asked.

He frowned but said, “I suppose it's no big secret, but some of Father's scientists have developed a new method of creating mechanical power, and it's being tested on this and one other of his ships. It's based on some things Madoc told them about. We all know how burning wood produces heat, but there are other substances that produce even more energy than wood does. Combining the heat and propulsive force can move objects, like a ship, over great distances.”

We all smiled at him. But I wondered whether the pictures in the books we were carrying were related to this.

“So that's why the ship will take not much more than a day, while most take almost two to go across the sea from Fairhaven to East Harbor,” Blane said. “Well, it will certainly save us time. We're so far behind Gal Evans and your brother, that every hour we can save will help.”

“I just hope the trail isn't cold,” I said.

“I think Father contacted some people in East Harbor to begin the search. They should have information for us as soon as we arrive,” Gareth said.

“How...I mean, what kind of communication did he use?” I asked.

Gareth smiled slightly. “It's another invention, one that still hasn't been proven. It's much better than the tubes I use to keep in touch with my men. I just hope it will work as well as Father thinks.”

“Does Madoc know about that, too?” I asked.

“Oh, aye! Our scientists were getting nowhere until he showed them a few things.”

“You sound like you're proud of him,” I said.

“And why shouldn't I be?”

“Elwyn doesn't seem to share the sentiment.”

“Elwyn has his own agenda,” he said dismissively.

“Just as long as it doesn't interfere with anything we're trying to do,” Blane said.

“He has no vision, can't see beyond his own little kingdom,” Gareth said. “But he'll be a good King some day.”

The captain came to tell us that dinner would be served to us in this room in half an hour, and that he hoped to join us. True to his word, one of his crew brought tableware and another crew member brought in the food.

I hadn't known what to expect, but it was like a banquet. Much better than dinner the night before at the Citadel. There was some sort of roast with lots of vegetables and potatoes, a selection of fresh breads, even a fruit pie for dessert. There was wine, too, but both Carys and I declined, being just as happy with cups of tea.

“We don't usually have this kind of fare on board,” the captain warned. “We secured the services of a cook from one of the best restaurants in Fairhaven.”

“Well, this is certainly good food,” Blane said with a smile.

“I understand your voyage east was somewhat different,” the captain said.

“You could say that,” he allowed, his smile turning into a grin.

“Have you had any problems with pirates?” I asked. “Or schools of ruda?”

“Did you really encounter both of those?” the captain seemed surprised.

“They killed a ruda,” Carys told him, admiration apparent in her voice.

“Well, I don't think you'll have those to worry about on this trip,” he promised confidently.

Carys almost looked disappointed. Maybe she thought that pirates and sea monsters would be fun compared to everything else we'd have to face once we were on dry land again.

“I'm sure the captain can arrange for some kind of adventure,” I teased.

“Really, Nissa. I'm not looking for trouble,” she said.

After dinner we all went up on deck. Fairhaven was now just a speck on the eastern horizon, and there was nothing in the other direction but the sea. The Evening Moon was beginning to wane. The Second wouldn't be up for an hour or more.

“I'm feeling a little sleepy,” Blane suddenly said. “I'm off to bed. See you all in the morning.”

“Me too,” Gareth said.

Once the two of them were gone, Carys and I stood at the rail looking out over the water in companionable silence. But finally she put an arm through mine and said, “I'm so glad I've finally met you. Madoc talked about you so often and with such fondness, and now I can see why.”

“You mean about my family,” I said.

“Well, all of them too,” she said. “But mostly about you.”

I wasn't sure what she was getting at, but I was curious about something else. “I'm sure he had words of praise for my brothers, too,” I said, and waited for her to say something about Blane.

Just as I expected, she said, “Blane is terrific, isn't he?”

I chuckled. “He thinks highly of you, too.”

“He does?” She seemed very pleased by that.

“Of course.”

The wind was picking up and we decided simultaneously that it was time to go back to our room. We were sharing a large one, with two good sized beds. There was even a small washroom connected to it, so we took turns getting ready for sleep.

My bed was pretty comfortable, certainly better than the narrow cot in the galley on the Flying Dragon. But as soon as I fell asleep, the dream of the night before returned. This time I forced my mind to remember more details. Even in sleep I wondered whether Madoc's mind was reaching out to mine, the way Blane's had when we were were fighting the ruda together. I had to tell someone about the dream, if that's what it was. It could be important. But I feared that Gareth would laugh at me, and Carys might romanticize it. That left my brother.

 

Chapter 16.

I woke suddenly to shouts. Not pirates again? But no, there was no clashes of steel coming from the deck. Someone rapped on the door and yelled, “Ladies, please stay inside.”

“What's happening?” Carys asked me in alarm.

I shook my head, but she probably didn't see that in the dark room. “I don't know,” I said. I was tempted to disobey the order to stay put, but I didn't want to be in the way of whatever the crew might be doing, and I certainly didn't want to expose Carys to anything dangerous. I had promised her mother I'd look out for her.

Carys lit a candle that sat on the small table in our room and began pacing. I thought of asking her to sit down, but I knew it was helping her anxiety, so I put up with it.

At least fifteen minutes passed before the same voice called to us, “Everything's all right now.”

I opened the door to find Colm standing outside.

“What happened?” I asked.

“There was a fire in the engine room,” he reported, but seemed reluctant to tell us any more.

“It's all right Colm. We know that the ship is powered by a new kind of machine,” I assured him.

“Not anymore,” he said. “The fire destroyed the mechanism and used up a lot of the fuel.”

“So we're no longer moving?” Carys asked.

I'd already noticed that the motion of the ship had stopped.

“They're working on getting the old mast up, and rigging some sails, and meanwhile Rees and one of the crew are trying to repair the engine, Miss,” he said.

“Where are Prince Gareth and Master Blane?” I asked him.

“I couldn't wake them,” he said, frowning.

I rushed past him. “Where are their rooms?” I asked.

He led us to Gareth's room first. I tried the door and found it opened easily. He was fast asleep on the bed, his chest rising evenly as he breathed. “Gareth, wake up!” I shouted, roughly shaking his shoulder.

It took a while, but finally he opened his eyes and in a groggy voice asked, “What's all this about?”

Colm explained the situation. “I tried to wake you, but couldn't, sir.”

Gareth rubbed his eyes and yawned. “My head is like cotton wool,” he said, then looked at me and Carys. “You're both all right?” he asked.

We nodded.

“Where's Blane?” he then asked. “And Rees?”

“I couldn't wake Master Blane, either, but Rees is assisting one of the ship's crew with repairs,” Colm explained.

So, of course, we all went to wake Blane and apprise him of the situation. He was as groggy as Gareth, but he asked a question none of us had thought to ask. “Was it sabotage, do you think?”

“The fire?” Gareth asked for clarification. “You know, that is a possibility. I must talk with Captain Trahern.”

We couldn't really go back to bed, so we accompanied him on deck. We found the captain talking to his first mate, a tall lean man named Bowen.

“Have you found the cause of the fire yet?” Gareth asked.

The captain hesitated, but he must have realized he had to be truthful with his prince. “We think the fire was set.”

“Sabotage,” Bowen said to make it perfectly clear.

“But you haven't taken on any new crew, have you?”

The captain shook his head.

“What about the cook?” Carys asked. “You said you hired the cook from a restaurant in Fairhaven.”

“Yes, but...” The captain couldn't seem to grasp the fact that the cook could be the saboteur.

“The wine!” I suddenly remembered. “Blane, you and Gareth drank the wine last night, and we couldn't wake you. Could it have been drugged?” It would have been so easy for the cook to do that.

“I had a sip, myself,” the captain said. “And I, too, found it difficult to waken when my men came for me.” He turned to his first mate. “Bowen, go find the cook. Oh, and better to take someone else with you.”

“I'll go, sir,” Colm volunteered, and he left with Bowen.

“But even if it was the cook, why did he do it?” I asked. “And why would he drug the wine?”

“We'll see what answers we can get from him,” Captain Trahern said.

“We'll also need to find out if he was acting alone,” Gareth said. “Maybe someone paid him to do it.”

“The obvious reason is that he, or whoever he was working for, doesn't want us to reach the mainland,” Blane said.

“Or at least to slow us down,” I added. I think we all could agree on that.

Bowen and Colm returned, but there was no one with them. They both looked very upset. “When we reached the galley, before we could even touch him, the cook took something,” Bowen told us.

“Poison I think,” Colm said. “He's dead.”

“Now we won't be able to get any answers out of him,” the captain said.

“Maybe not,” Gareth agreed. “Did you secure the galley?” he asked Colm.

“Yes, sir. Nothing will be disturbed.”

“Take Bowen back with you, and search for any clues,” Gareth ordered. But before they left, he turned to the ship's captain. “You said you hired him from one of the restaurants in Fairhaven. Which one?”

“The Wounded Swan. It's a very good restaurant near the docks.”

“Yes, I know it,” Gareth said. “It's owned by Lord Wallis”

“Do you think the cook was working for him?” Carys asked. “Lord Wallis is not very friendly with our family,” she added for our benefit.

“It's possible,” Gareth replied. “But what would he hope to gain?”

“Is there any connection between this Lord Wallis and Gal Evans?” Blane asked.

Gareth nodded. “Evans has been known to carry out Lord Wallis's orders on occasion.”

“Do you think the cook might have done anything to the food supply before Colm and Bowen arrived?” I asked. My mind was racing with possibilities.

“We can't take the chance that he did,” the captain said with a nod. “I'm sorry, Prince Gareth, but I think we'll have to return to Fairhaven.”

Gareth shook his head violently. “That may be just what they want! No, we'll go on.”

“But what will we do for food?” Bowen asked.

“We can test the food in the galley,” Colm said.

“And meanwhile, we can use some of the bread, cheese and fruit we have in our packs,” Blane said. “Maybe supplement it with fish.”

“I always wanted to go deep sea fishing,” Gareth said. I wasn't sure whether he was being sarcastic or not.

“We'll also continue to work on the engine, see if we can get it running again,” the captain added. “Luckily the winds have picked up and they're blowing in the right direction to take us to East Harbor.”

“I'd like to go with you to the galley, and see what we can use of the stores there,” I told Colm. I expected someone to object, but no one did. I also thought that Carys would want to come with me. Instead, she stayed with her brother and mine.

The galley was much larger than the one on the Flying Dragon. And the sacks of flour, sugar, rice, coffee and other foodstuffs were larger, too. Even if we tested some of the contents, we could never be sure that all of it was safe. Still, we had to start somewhere.

It turned out that Colm knew something about poisons and drugs, enough to know how to detect some of them. While Bowen searched through the cook's personal things, I helped Colm with his experiments. All the while, the cook lay dead on his bunk.

I almost hoped we'd find something, but test after test revealed nothing wrong with the food. At least that relieved us of one potential problem, enough food for everyone until we arrived on dry land. But was I going to have to become the cook again?

“Do you know what he took?” I asked, indicating the body.

“It was a liquid,” Bowen said, then picked up a small bottle. “It was in this.” He took a whiff. “Smells awful.”

I reached for the bottle and he gave it to me. But I couldn't identify the odor.

“Did you find anything?” I asked him. “Any papers that would confirm who employed him?”

Bowen shook his head. “Nothing. We may never know for certain who sent him.”

We left the galley and went back to report to the others. We found Carys and Blane talking quietly in the common room. “Where are the captain and Gareth?” I asked.

“They went to check on the progress with the engine.” Blane said. “What did you find?”

“The food seems to be untainted,” Colm reported.

“But there were no clues about the cook's intent or who sent him,” Bowen said.

“Too bad,” Blane said. “All we have is conjecture.”

“I'll go report to the captain,” Bowen said, and left.

“I guess you'll have to take over the galley,” my brother said, with a bit of a smirk.

I nodded, and Carys put a hand on my arm. “I'll help.”

It would be nice to have her working with me. This was a much larger ship, so it had a much larger crew. Cooking and serving for so many could be difficult.

“And I'll serve again,” Blane offered.

I smiled at him, knowing he just wanted to spend time in the galley with Carys. But it would also give me an opportunity to tell Blane about my dream. I didn't mind that Carys would hear it, especially with Blane there to help decide if it was just a dream or Madoc trying to reach out to me.

 

 

Chapter 17.

It was getting close to dawn, so we went directly to the galley. Someone had finally moved the cook's body, and stripped the bedding from the cot. I looked over the stores and tried to decide what we'd be having for breakfast. This cook also had a few recipe books and I began to look at them, but before I got far, Blane said, “Those omelets you made aboard the Flying Dragon would be perfect.”

I smiled at him and began to gather ingredients. This galley even had a cold box and in it I found some butter and cream, milk and fresh meat, and some other things I couldn't identify. Carys watched me very carefully as I pulled out several huge skillets and put them on the stove. Adding kindling to the embers in it and lighting them with a flint brought up the heat enough that I could cook.

The ship seemed to be moving again, but slowly. I assumed they had rigged the sails and we were being propelled by the wind.

“How do you know how to do those things?” Carys asked, watching as I selected ingredients.

“Haven't you ever been given lessons in cooking?” I asked. “That, and sewing, were the two things all the girls at the manor learned.”

“I can't sew, either,” she said, sounding sad. It was hard to imagine why anyone would be unhappy about that.

“I'll teach you, if you'd like,” I said. “But right now, just hand me some of that butter,” I instructed her.

I smelled and tasted everything I used, but I was quickly able to assemble several huge omelets to serve to the crew. As Blane began to take the eggs and some bread up on deck, with Carys' help, I started on some more.

Gareth returned with Blane and Carys to tell me that everyone was enjoying the breakfast. “The captain wondered if you'd like a job after this,” he said with a smile. “I told him that you had other things to do.”

He helped my brother carry the next batch of food to the crew in other parts of the ship, while Carys stayed with me to watch again how I was able to prepare so much food at once.

“The great thing about omelets is that there's no set recipe really. You can put in whatever you have at hand. Soups are the same way. But the hard thing with omelets is to know when the eggs have set enough to turn,” I told her.

“Our cook isn't very good,” she said. “We had a wonderful cook when I was younger, but she ran off with one of the stable boys.”

“I think that liking to eat helps a cook know what will taste good, and what won't,” I said. Now when had I become such an expert on cooking?

“One or two more batches,” Blane said, returning to the galley. He was alone.

“Where'd Gareth go?”

“They seem to be making progress with the engine, and he went to see whether they could get it running again.”

I finished the last omelets and told him, “Please come back after you deliver these. There's something I have to tell you.”

He looked at me quizzically but didn't ask any questions. When he was gone, Carys asked, “What are you going to tell him?”

“I...I've been having a strange dream, and I wanted to discuss it with him. You, too,” I added.

“Oh!”

“Let's start cleaning up while we wait for Blane,” I said, to stop any further questions for a while.

She nodded, and I showed her how to clean the iron skillets. They'd been seasoned before, I could tell, and since I'd used butter to make my eggs, it was easy to wash them. But what made it easiest was that there was an actual sink in this galley, even better than the ones in the bathrooms back at the Citadel. They were big enough to hold a skillet or large pot and there was a pump that brought up lots of water!

By the time Blane returned, we'd finished cleaning up from breakfast. I sat on the stool by the sink with my own plate of food, and he and Carys sat down, side-by-side, on the bare mattress of the cook's bed, each with a full plate.

“Blane, I've been having a peculiar dream the last two nights,” I began. “The first night, well I woke with a sense of dread, but all I could remember was Madoc's voice warning me to stay away.” I waited for his reaction to that.

I didn't have to wait long. He came to the same conclusion that I had, that Madoc was trying to communicate with me, or rather my mind. “His words could be very important. Go on,” he urged.

“The second night, that would be last night, I tried to pay more attention to the 'dream'. What he said was, 'It's dangerous here. I don't know if I can get away. They want me to help them, but I've refused so far.' Then I had a sense of several men in hoods beating him, but I couldn't reach him. Every time I tried, they were further away.”

“Well, that corresponds to our belief that he was taken by Gal Evans and his men, and that they want him for something,” Blane said. “Did you get any sense of where they were?”

I shook my head. “But it was awfully cold.”

“Did he warn you off again?” Carys asked.

I suddenly remembered the last of the dream before we were woken by Colm. “Yes, yes he did! He said, 'Don't come any closer. It's too dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt',”

Blane thought about what I'd related. After a while he said, “If you have that dream again, concentrate on finding out where they are. And...and 'tell' Madoc help is on the way.”

“I'll try,” I said. I wasn't sure my abilities were strong enough, but I'd do my best.

“One more thing,” Blane advised. “Don't tell anyone else about this, at least not yet. Maybe we'll tell Gareth later, but he may not understand.”

The three of us went up on deck to retrieve all of the dishes from breakfast. “Thank you both for your help in the galley this morning,” I told Blane and Carys.

“I have a feeling we'll be doing at least two more meals before this voyage is over,” my brother replied.

After we cleaned up the plates, we went back to the common room and waited for word from the captain and Gareth about the engine, and when they expected we'd reach shore. We had a while to wait, but late in the morning, Gareth came to tell us they'd patched up the engine. “It won't run under full power, but it'll get us to East Harbor faster than sails.”

“I suppose we'd best go start luncheon,” I said.

Blane and Carys followed me back to the galley, but surprisingly, so did Gareth. I pulled out the cook books and started looking for something easy but filling for the crew. And that's when I found it. Slipped in among the recipes for soups and stews was a torn piece of paper, and written on it were two word: Crimson Orb.

I showed it to the others. “Is that what this is all about?”

“You think the cook was working for the same person as Evans, and that Evans is trying to find the Orb?” Gareth asked, staring at the paper. “But how could Madoc help him?”

“He probably believes Madoc's magic will help him find it,” I guessed. “So they must be heading to Meecham.”

I found a recipe for Shepherd's Pie and saw that we had most, if not all of the ingredients. I even found the pans to make it in. While Carys helped me prepare the meat and vegetables, Blane boiled the potatoes to be mashed for the top.

“Well, it looks like you have this well in hand,” Gareth said. “I'll go confer with Colm and Rees about the fastest way to get to Meecham when we reach the mainland.”

An hour later, lunch was ready. The captain sent two of his crew to bring the food to the others. I just hoped they'd enjoy it as much as they seemed to like breakfast.

Once we'd sent luncheon off to all of the crew, we each took some, too, and began to eat. I was quite pleased at how tasty it was. I was beginning to enjoy cooking, but I was glad I didn't have to mend the crew's clothes or anything else on this trip. I'd promised to teach Carys how to sew, but that would be different.

“This is wonderful!” Carys said, eating her portion. “Never mind the captain, I think my parents might have a job for you once we get back to the Citadel with Madoc.”

I hadn't really thought about what would happen once we found and rescued him. Before Carys and Gareth had joined our expedition, I guess I believed that Madoc, Blane and I would just return to the manor. But of course now we'd have to bring Carys back home.

Blane hadn't said a word. His mouth was too busy eating, I guess.

I'd made cookies for dessert. We brought a tray of them and some fresh fruit to the crew, and received all sorts of compliments on the shepherd's pie. The crew members had scraped their plates clean.

I could feel and see that the ship was making rapid progress to the mainland. Maybe I wouldn't have to make dinner after all. But once we'd finished with cleaning up from luncheon, I found myself with nothing to do. I wondered if I'd find anything else in the cook books in the galley, and started going through them, page by page.

“What are you doing?” Carys asked.

“Seeing if the cook had any other messages hidden away with his recipes.”

“I'll help,” she said, taking one of the other books and rifling through it.

Blane took one, too. “I've also been wondering if the cook was the only one on the ship who wished us harm.”

“He was the only new crew member,” I reminded him.

“And nothing else has happened since he died,” Carys added.

“Hmmm. That's true.” Blane had finished with one book and tossed it back before taking another. This cook had many more books than the cook on the Flying Dragon. We went through them all, but no more pieces of paper showed up.

Gareth came to look for us and said, “Come up on deck. Land's in sight.”

I smiled, and so did the others. We rushed up on deck and looked westward. Sure enough, the shore was visible along with the tall buildings of East Harbor. I watched Carys' face as she got her first view of the city, so different from the one she knew. I knew the feeling. This had been a journey of discovery, of seeing places and things I'd never dreamed of. And it was for her as well. We still had so many new sights to see. Maybe the more we saw, the less impressed we'd be by the newness of it all. But for now, this first really new place was special in a way for Carys. She knew now what it was like to be far from home.

“Another hour and we'll reach the harbor,” Gareth said. “Go collect your things and be ready to disembark.”

We didn't have to be told twice. Carys and I went immediately to our room. We hadn't taken out much, so it was easy to repack it all. Once we had, we carried it all up on deck. Blane was already there with his things, and Gareth joined us shortly with Rees and Colm.

Watching the shore loom nearer and nearer, I was filled with a mixture of hope that we could find Madoc, and concerns about what we'd find along the way. Would we be prepared for any obstacles we'd have to face?

But with Gareth, Carys, Colm and Rees, I thought Blane and I would manage quite well.

 

Chapter 18.

We pulled into the dock and were met by the harbormaster. He knew Captain Trehern well, and recognized Blane, Gareth and me. We introduced Colm and Carys, and disembarked. Colm and Rees led the four horses onto shore, but then Rees told us he was staying on board for a while to help finish the repairs on the engine. Colm and Rees had replaced their uniforms with shirts, vests and britches like Blane's, and I noticed that Gareth had, too, perhaps to blend in better with the people on the streets of the city.

“Rees will meet us at Gillie's,” Gareth told us, mounting one of the horses. They were different from the ones I knew, sleeker and somehow more graceful looking.

Carys and I rode together on her sorrel-colored horse, Nutmeg, and Colm and Blane rode the other two.

Gareth led us through the city as if he knew where we were going. I'd never thought to ask whether he'd been to East Harbor before, but obviously he had. He stopped in front of a three story building squeezed between two towering ones. The entire ground floor appeared to be a restaurant or tavern, with a large sign indicating that it was Gillie's.

We left the horses tied up outside and entered. The woman who greeted us smiled when she saw Gareth. “It's good to see you again,” she told him. She led us to a large table with seats for six. “I'll bring sandwiches and ale,” she told us. “Would the ladies care for something else?”

“Tea would be lovely,” Carys said, and I nodded in agreement.

The sandwiches she brought were much larger than those Blane and I had at the tea house when we'd first arrived in the city a few days before. Filled with meat and cheese, they were hot as if they'd been baked or fried after they were assembled. I took a bite of one and was surprised at how wonderful it tasted.

It was close enough to dinner time, and I supposed this would be our dinner. I was just as happy that I didn't have to prepare it. Sitting next to me, Carys started by nibbling at a sandwich, but soon she was biting and chewing away like everyone else. Our tea when it came was smoky and strong, but it went well with the sandwich I was eating.

The place was crowded and noisy. It was hard to hear Gareth who sat across the table from me. He and my brother were deep in conversation between bites of sandwich. Rees finally arrived and took the last seat at the table.

“If you'd been any later, there might not have been any food left,” Colm teased him.

He didn't seem worried about that. “There's always more at Gillie's,” he said.

The six of us finished off all of the sandwiches, and the woman came back. “More of the same, or are you ready for dessert?”

“Oh, dessert, please!” Carys replied for all of us. No one objected.

The next time the woman appeared, there was another woman with her. She placed a plate in front of each of us, and each plate held two of the most beautiful and interesting cakes I'd ever seen.

“They're called cupcakes,” Gareth told us in a voice loud enough for all of us to hear. “I hope you'll enjoy them, and maybe be a little bit surprised.”

I wondered what he meant. I was already surprised by the two on my plate. One was a white cake topped with an orange frosting and sprinkled with bits of colored sugar. The second was dark cake with lighter brown frosting. I adored drinking cocoa in the cold months of winter, but the powder to make it was rare in Holmdale, and chocolate made from it was a special treat for celebrations, but this cupcake seemed to contain lots of cocoa powder. I suppose I should have realized that in a port town like East Harbor, anything could be obtained.

I bit into the white and orange one first, saving the chocolate for later. There was a fruity jam inside, sweet but not cloying. But that wasn't the most amazing thing. Tucked in the jam was a long strip of paper with a message written on it. It said: Follow Your Heart. I smiled.

A few bites later, I'd finished that cupcake and was ready to start on the second. I wondered what I'd find inside that one. It turned out to be even more chocolate in a somewhat liquid form. I think I could have eater several of these if I hadn't filled myself with my sandwich. And then I found the message inside this one. Quite different from the first, it read: Go South First. It seemed to be an instruction but from whom?

I looked at the others. They were reading little strips of paper too. I asked Carys what hers said, and she showed me. One said: Your Heart's Desire Is Near. It made me grin. But the second, like mine, gave more directions: Across The Frozen Tundra.

Gareth cleared his throat and said just loud enough for us all to hear, “I'll need to see your fortunes.”

I knew he meant the instruction ones. We all handed over one of ours, and watched as he read them, placing them one under the other, then rearranging the order.

“I think we're finished here. Let's go get Nissa and Blane's horses and go as far as we can tonight,” he said.

“You mean we won't be spending tonight here in the city?” Carys asked.

Her brother shook his head. “We have no time to waste.” He rose and tossed quite a bit of money on the table. We followed him out to the horses and continued west and out of town. Carys had to be urged to move along, for she stopped often. She was completely mesmerized by the city, it's buildings and especially the people and their strange assortment of dress.

We found Gallin and Starfire right where we'd left them. There'd been enough grazing and water nearby that they hadn't starved, but I sensed that Gallin was happy to see me and ready to stretch his long legs in a gallop.

We dug up our saddles and readied the horses. Before we left that spot, however, Gareth spoke, explaining the meaning of those 'fortunes' we'd each gotten.

“My father's people have determined that Gal Evans and his men were heading for Meecham, as we surmised,” he said. “It will be more treacherous, but infinitely faster for us to take the southern route. And though it means we'll be traveling through the cold wastes of the Frozen Tundra of Sorn, we should arrive in Meecham not too long after them.”

“How long will it take, Sir?” Colm asked. I was wondering the same thing myself.

“At least two days, I'm afraid,” Gareth replied. “More if the weather doesn't cooperate.”

I watched Carys' face and saw her dismay at the news. I vowed to make it as comfortable as possible for her, knowing that wouldn't be easy.

“Do you think we'll be followed?” Blane asked. I knew he was thinking about the cook who'd tried to delay our journey.

“There's no one on our trail right now,” Gareth replied. “If someone is looking for us, they'll never suspect we'll take this route, especially with two ladies in our party.”

I suppose that was another argument for going the way we were.

“Captain Trehern will notify father about what happened during the journey,” he added.

We headed south with Gareth and Colm in the lead and Rees in the rear, I think as protection of sorts. It was already starting to grow dark as we rode out into the countryside. The going was fairly easy at first, but soon we rode into a low mountain range. We had to slow to maneuver among the boulders and hills at the base of the mountains and soon we began to climb, gently then more precipitously.

The horses were all more sure-footed than any of us could have been on this ground. The Evening Moon was up high in the sky by the time Gareth called a halt. We'd reached fairly level ground and he'd decided we should camp here for the night.

Blane and Colm built a fire, but it was small. There weren't many twigs or branches in this rocky terrain. I showed Carys how to make a bed with her blankets and packs, while Rees heated some water for tea. We each had a cup sitting around the fire, and Gareth proposed that we be up and ready to leave at the first light of dawn.

My blankets didn't make as comfortable a bed as I'd grown used to at the Citadel and even on the ship. Thoughts were swirling in my head, questions about where we were headed, worries about Madoc. But eventually I fell into a light sleep only to begin my 'dream' again.

This time I was determined to let Madoc know we were on our way, and that Gareth was with us. When the warnings began again as on the previous nights, I 'pushed' back with my own thoughts. We knew where he was headed and whom he was with. We were taking a different route in hopes of arriving soon after them. I purposely kept Carys out of my thoughts, and yet an additional warning joined the others I was 'hearing'. 'Don't let my sister come. Leave her somewhere safe. Tell her to stay away,' Madoc practically shouted at me. But he and his captors weren't pulling away from me as they had the night before. If anything I was gaining ground on them.

I knew I had to tell the others about this, not just Blane and Carys this time. With that resolve in mind, I finally fell asleep and didn't wake until the sound of the others rising penetrated my brain.

We made a hasty breakfast of bread and cheese and more hot tea before dousing the fire. As we ate I said, “Gareth, I need to tell you about the dreams I've been having.”

He looked at me questioningly, as Blane gave me a sharp look. But I knew that Gareth needed to hear this. I told him about the last three nights, and how I was convinced that Madoc was reaching out to let me know how dangerous the men were who'd taken him.

“He seems particularly concerned about Carys being with us,” I said.

“You told him?” she shouted, as if I'd betrayed her trust.

“No! You were probably there in my thoughts and I couldn't block you out.”

“It doesn't matter how he knows,” Gareth said. “The important thing is that he knows that we're on our way.”

“Then you believe me? That they're not just dreams, but Madoc trying to contact me?”

Gareth nodded. “My only question is why he'd contact you rather than, say, your brother.”

None of us really knew the answer to that. Surely, Blane's use of his mind abilities were more highly developed than mine. But again, that didn't matter. All that mattered now was that we reach him soon.

 

Chapter 19.

We loaded our packs on the horses, mounted and rode out. This plateau we were on extended for a short while and then the road, or more accurately, path, wound up the mountain. We couldn't see any other way to go, no passes between hills, no downward paths. It took a few hours to reach the crest but from there we could see the country spread out to the south of us, desolate and hilly, but no more mountains for a while.

As we started down from the peak, the path became more littered with small stones, and the horses footing less sure. Gareth called a halt after a quarter hour to rest the horses, and we took the opportunity to eat something. It had been hours since breakfast so we were all starving.

Rees pulled out fruit and dried meat for us. “I've got carrots and apples for the horses, too,” he said. We didn't try to build a fire, but drank tepid water from our flasks instead of tea.

I noticed that the air had a chill to it and pulled out my cloak from one of the packs. Carys did the same. We rested for almost an hour and then continued on. Eventually the path grew more solid again. We could ride at a faster pace. Gareth seemed to be leading us toward a rise on the horizon, a rise covered with green. Green meant water, maybe trees or plants that would supply food.

It was a near destination in any event. The horses seemed to sense it too. But when we finally arrived in the late afternoon, we found a dry creek bed, sparse grass, and nothing else.

Still, it was possibly the best stopping place for now. This time we did build a fire and I cooked some meat and vegetables in water for a stew. It took a while and in the meantime we examined a crude map that Gareth produced from one of his packs.

“We'll stop here for the night,” he said, pointing to a spot on the map that appeared to be some low hills. “There's supposed to be a cave in these hills and a freshwater stream nearby.”

On the map, it didn't look that much further, but I knew maps could be deceiving, especially when they weren't official ones.

“How far from there to the Frozen Tundra?” Carys asked. None of us was looking forward to that.

“Almost a half day's ride, and at least a half day to cross it.”

“But do we want to spend the night on the Tundra?” I asked.

“Not if we can help it,” Rees said.

The stew was cooked and I dished it out, hoping it wasn't the last hot meal we'd have, but knowing it might be.

The horses had found enough grass for grazing, so we didn't have to dig into our stores again for them. But there was nothing growing here that could supplement our supplies, not even any small animals we good shoot with our arrows for food. Reluctantly, we packed up and started to move on. Just then we heard a shout from the distance. We hadn't even seen them before. A group of four men on horseback approached us from the west, riding at full gallop. They didn't stop until they were practically on top of us.

It was only then that we realized they weren't men at all, but four very large women, in brightly colored cloaks, and they carried spears.

“What are you doing on our land?” one of them demanded.

“We're on our way through,” Gareth told her. “We just stopped to rest our horses and to eat.”

“Where are you from?” she asked suspiciously.

“We are from the East Islands, from Fairhaven.”

She still seemed puzzled and suspicious as she rode over to confer with her companions. One of the others returned to us and asked, “You will not stay here tonight?”

“We planned to go here,” Gareth replied, showing her the map.

“We will escort you,” the first woman said. I think they wanted to make sure we did as we said we would.

We checked to make sure we hadn't left anything behind and mounted our horses. The women fell in beside us as we continued south.

“Why are you going there?” one of the women asked me. Maybe they were tired of Gareth answering all of their questions.

“We are looking for someone,” I said truthfully.

“My brother,” Carys added.

“He came this way?” she wanted to know.

I was beginning to believe that their knowledge of Learic was limited, that it wasn't their native language.

“No, he is traveling with some bad men to a city called Meecham,” Carys said.

“They seek the Orb,” the woman said. “Do you also?”

“No, we only seek my brother,” Carys told her.

“If you go this way, the Frozen Tundra will stop you.”

“Have you ever been there?” I asked. The name implied it was all ice and very cold. But maybe there were other dangers.

“There are monsters,” she said. “Larger than any man and white. You do not see them coming because the land is white.”

“Nissa and Blane killed a seamonster,” Carys said. “I'm sure we can deal with it.”

“Can they be killed?” I asked. Whatever information we could get from this woman would help us prepare for whatever we might encounter.

“I do not know,” she replied.

“Where do you and your friends come from?” I asked.

“We live past the Blue Lake,” she said.

That wasn't very helpful. “How far away is that?”

“How far a horse can travel between morning meal and full sun.”

Now I was convinced she wasn't a native Learic speaker. “I am called Nissa as my friend has said,” I told her. “What are you called?”

“Frel.” At least that's what it sounded like.

“And what is the name of the place you come from? Who are your people and what is your language called?”

“Language?” she asked, pronouncing the word carefully.

“You are talking to us in Learic, but your people speak...?” I prompted.

“Oh, we are H'resea. We call our language H'resea, too.”

I smiled at her, but I hadn't a clue who these people were. I had never heard of them or their language.

She and her friends stayed with us until we reached the hills. “Do you know where the cave is here?” Carys asked them.

“Yes, of course. Come. This way.” She called to her friends in what must have been H'resea, and the four of them rode upward to the right of the path. It wasn't far to a large cave with a high ceiling.

“Thank you,” I told Frel, and the others in my party thanked the women for their help. They'd come to accept that we weren't dangerous to them or their people and were quite willing to leave us to spend the night in the cave and then travel on.

We made camp and briefly explored the cave. It didn't penetrate the hill very deeply and was quite open, perfect for our use.

The men were hungry again, so I tried my hand at making sandwiches. I'd now seen a few examples of them, hot and cold, and realized the ones I made on the Flying Dragon weren't very good, but this time I think I got it right. In any event, no one complained.

But surveying our stores of food, I knew they wouldn't last more than another couple of days or so. And I didn't expect to find a wealth of fruits or vegetables growing on the Frozen Tundra.

Carys and I told the men about the tundra monsters that Frel described. “We'll have to be on the lookout for them.”

“I've heard tell of those,” Rees said, nodding. “They're called Ice Bears, but they really aren't bears at all. Don't worry miss. We'll protect the two of you.”

“The woman who rode with us told us that they do not believe the Orb exists. And if it does, they hope no one finds it,” Colm said. “They fear that if it is used, their people and the land they live on will cease to exist.”

“None of their people have joined those trying to find the Orb,” Gareth added. “For one thing, they refuse to cross the Frozen Tundra, and for another, they are busy preparing for the greatest holiday of the season.”

“If this tundra is so difficult to traverse, why did your father's people send us this way? They couldn't know we needed to evade anyone who wanted to follow us.” Blane asked. I'd been wondering that myself. Surely they'd pick an easier route.

“My 'fortune' said where to cross it, the quickest and most hazard-free way,” Gareth said. He pulled out his map again, and pointed to a spot on it. “Here is where we will begin our trek across that vast wasteland. We should reach it by early afternoon tomorrow.”

“The woman who rode beside me said there is a valley on the other side of this ridge where we may find water and edible plants,” Rees told us.

“That's good,” I said. “Our supplies are dwindling and I wouldn't want to start across the tundra without sufficient food or water.”

“Let's get some sleep so we can get another early start,” Gareth suggested, and no one argued with him.

That night in my 'dream', Madoc chastised me for not leaving Carys with the H'resea. I concentrated on an image of her obstinate face, and I think he got the message that she wouldn't be left behind. After that he never brought it up again. Instead, he 'showed' me pictures of the land they were in, a sparse forest of evergreens. I got the impression that they were nearing Meecham, and that there were many other groups of people all headed in the same direction. I could 'smell' the smoke from the many campfires.

He was still being closely guarded by Evans and his men, and he was still refusing to comply with their wishes. I could 'see' Evans menacing face and hear his voice say, “You will change your mind when we arrive in Meecham.”

Despite the circumstances, I was somewhat comforted by Madoc's presence in my mind. But why did he only contact me at night? Was it easier for him to send his thoughts or for me to receive them in the dark? It was something to think about as I finally fell asleep.

 

Chapter 20.

In the morning we breakfasted, left the cave and rode over the ridge of the hills. Not far ahead we could see the valley that the H'resea woman had mentioned to Rees. There was a wide strip of green and a stream running through it. We reached it two hours after we left the cave. The water looked cold but clear and the horses gratefully drank from it. Some small fruit trees grew close to the stream, along with some wild berry bushes.

Carys and Colm helped me collect the fruit, some of it looking like the kind I'd gotten from the Dorri woman, Lyra. Colm called it 'burce'. Carys found some greens poking up through the soil and when she pulled on them, brought up some kind of root that looked like a cross between a carrot and a turnip. Colm assured me that they were perfectly good to eat and that the horses would like them too, so we gathered a small sackful.

There were some small fish in the stream, and we tried to catch them with just a cloth, but they were to small and too swift. A few small animals played around the fruit trees and reluctantly Blane and I shot a few with our bows and arrows to add to our supplies. We all knew this might be our last opportunity for fresh water, and we filled our flasks, as well, then remounted.

The stream was shallow and easy for the horses to cross. After another hour or so, we stopped for luncheon. I couldn't be sure we'd be able to build a fire out on the tundra, so I asked the men to build one now so we could have a hot meal.

A few of the root vegetables, including their greens, some meat from the small animals we'd killed, and the last of our potatoes made a good stew. Again it took longer to cook than we should have spent but I don't think any of us was anxious to reach the cold and emptiness of the tundra. Carys watched carefully as I prepared the stew.

Well fortified, we set out again, following the route Gareth had devised. We turned west now, and as we approached the tundra, the air cooled despite the bright sunshine. I could only imagine how cold it would get when the sun went down. Neither of our world's moons warms the way the sun does.

An hour after our luncheon stop we saw the first signs of the frozen land we needed to cross. Mounds of ice and snow lined the path we took and soon encroached on it so that we were riding on frozen ground or ice.

The cold seeped its way into our clothes. I pulled my cloak tighter around me and saw the others do the same. We rode closer together, as if that would keep us warm. The horses felt the cold, too, their breaths frosting visibly like ours. They seemed to be working hard to keep going on the icy ground. Occasionally the hoof of one of our steeds would slip but they always regained their footing

Soon, all we could see was whiteness, and then the snow began to fall. That was good, in a way, because it made the ground easier for the horses to walk on. But when the wind picked up, the snow began to swirl around us, and it soon became difficult to see where we were going. I wondered how we could know whether we were going in the right direction, but Gareth seemed to have faith that the horses would continue in a straight line towards our goal.

As the snow began to accumulate, the going became much more difficult, so we stopped to try and wait out the storm. We took the opportunity to eat some bread, cheese and fruit. I also pulled out Donal's britches and, sitting on my pack, pulled them on under my skirt. I wondered if I had enough clothes that I could wear all at once to keep me warm.

Everyone else wrapped themselves in a blanket but I could see the icicles forming on Colm's nose and Rees' chin. I put a pair of foot coverings on my hands when I realized I couldn't feel the fingertips any more. Gareth and his two men seemed to have hand coverings. When they noticed that we didn't, they handed spare ones to me and Blane. I didn't know whether Carys had a pair, as her hands were hidden inside her cloak.

Rather than abate, the storm strengthened. “If we stay where we are, before long we might not be able go on,” Gareth shouted above the howling wind.

Reluctantly we persevered, going slowly, but still making some progress. We didn't stop again for another hour. Nothing had changed, unless growing colder when you're already freezing can be considered a change.

“I don't think the horses can go on tonight,” Gareth told us, reining in his steed.

There was no shelter nearby, as far as we could tell, and as I feared no way we could build a fire and keep it going.

“Too bad we didn't bring a tent,” Colm said. I hadn't even thought of the possibility.

“We'd never be able to get it up in this wind, or keep it up for that matter,” Blane replied.

“If we can build up some of this snow, it might act as a wind break,” Rees suggested. The men immediately started to do that, and after a minute I joined them. Even Carys did her part, packing down the snow as we piled it high. She did have hand coverings after all. Mine had kpt some of the cold from reaching my fingers but now they were getting snow-caked and stiff, and very cold. The wall we built was about my height and long enough that we and our horses could shelter behind it from the constant wind, at least.

I piled my blankets up and burrowed in. I didn't dream that night, perhaps the cold prevented the thoughts from getting through. Sometime during the night I heard a howl that didn't sound like the wind, but I might have been mistaken.

The snow had finally stopped by morning, but the sky was still a steel gray. We added some snow to our flasks, knowing that when it melted we could drink it. The water in them had frozen anyway and there was no way we could drink that just then. Hoping to mete out our supplies, we each ate just one piece of bread and some of the berries we'd picked the previous afternoon. Was it less than a day ago that we were relatively warm? I didn't think I'd ever be again.

The horses were just as unhappy as we were. I said a few soothing words to Gallin before I mounted. I think he actually appreciated the bit of warmth of my blankets and me on him for once.

The wall we'd build had frozen solid, so we left it as it was. As we set off, Carys rode next to me again. “Did you hear that howl during the night?” she asked, her eyes wide with fear.

“It could have been the wind,” I told her.

“Oh, aye, it could.” But she wasn't convinced.

An hour later, it began to snow again. Just as during the afternoon before, our sight was quickly obscured. All we could see in every direction was whiteness. And suddenly there it was before us. Even the horses hadn't sensed its approach.

Bigger than the biggest bear I'd ever seen, but so white that it was difficult to see where the animal ended and the snow and ice began. We could barely make out small dark eyes, a snout like a pig, and two long curved tusks.

All six horses reared and almost unseated us, but we held on to our mounts for dear life. The animal stood on it's rear legs, like some bears I'd seen, mostly in picture books. And it let out a howl. Now we knew for certain what that sound had been during the night.

“Stay still!” Gareth called out.

That wasn't easy when the horses were prancing and snorting. I tried to send soothing words to Gallin, to tell him all would be well, but it was hard when I wasn't sure of that myself.

The animal stood its ground. I began to hope there wasn't another one. So far, this one had challenged us, but hadn't attacked.

We hadn't discussed a plan for what to do if we encountered a threat like this, partly because we didn't know what form any threats would take. True, we'd been told about the ice field monsters, but who could conceive what it would be like?

Would arrows or spears pierce the hide? Would a sword? I knew that the men all carried weapons, but none of them had taken them out yet. I hoped Gareth would be able to devise a plan.

But it was my brother who took the lead. I felt the light touch of his mind on mine, urging me to join him in sending thoughts to the feeble brain of the creature, telling it to let us pass without any harm. Of course! Why hadn't I thought of doing that?

I joined my thoughts with Blane's and sent a simple message to the animal in front of us. I couldn't be sure, but it seemed there was someone else helping us. At first nothing changed, but then the beast howled one more time, and dropped down on all fours and lumbered off away from us.

“What just happened?” Rees asked.

Gareth looked at Blane and replied. “I think our friend here has a way with animals that I'm just beginning to appreciate.”

Blane held his gaze and said, “I had help from Nissa.”

I was about to say that Carys may have helped, too, but she gave me a warning look.

Gareth turned to me with a look of astonishment. “When you told us of your dreams, I didn't realize...I mean, well... thank you.”

I smiled. “You're welcome, Prince Gareth.” But I was unused to being the center of attention, and quickly changed the subject. “So, how much farther do we have to go before we can leave the tundra?” I asked.

“We should be coming to the edge of it in another two or three hours, but we won't get anywhere if we don't start moving again.”

“Of course,” I said, tugging slightly on Gallin's reins, and telling him it was all right to go on.

The snow did seem to be letting up. An hour later we paused only briefly to eat some more bread and cheese and to give the horses some of the root vegetables. They seemed very grateful. We'd pushed them hard since we left East Harbor and I knew they'd need to rest before too much longer.

The rest of the trip through the Frozen Tundra took over two hours, but it was uneventful. Suddenly it seemed to be a little warmer. At first I thought it was just my imagination but then we could see breaks in the ice and snow, a tuft of grass here, a few rocks there. And I knew that we'd be sleeping in a warmer place that night.

Soon there was more grass than snow, a yellowish grass, but grass nonetheless. We practically cheered when we saw the first trees, stunted and twisted by the wind. It wasn't warm by any means, but it wasn't freezing as it had been on the tundra. The wind gusts were strong, still, but it was bearable.

The horses sensed the change in climate and sped up. I suppose they hoped, as we did, that it would continue to become better. Unfortunately this was as good as it got.

I wondered where the animals and people were. Was this terrain so inhospitable that no one even tried to live here?

“Have any of you ever been to Meecham?” I asked, hoping to learn more about the town we were heading for.

“I have,” Rees said. “Several years ago. It was a tiny village then. Just a handful of people lived there.”

“I'm sure that's changed considerably with the coming of people searching for the Orb,” Blane guessed.

“I think it's like those boom towns that grew up in Patras after they discovered crystals there,” Colm said.

“So there'll be places to stay, places to eat?” Carys asked.

“I'm sure there will be. I only wonder whether they'll be appropriate for ladies like yourselves,” Rees said. “I do know one or two places that might be all right.”

I didn't think any place could be as disreputable as the tavern where Blane and I spent our first night away from the manor, but I knew Carys was used to better. Still, she'd been able to contend with all we'd faced since she left the Citadel.

“Anything indoors would be better than last night,” I pointed out, and everyone laughed.

“Will we reach the town by dinner time?” Blane asked.

“We may not reach Meecham tonight. Maybe one of the villages between here and there,” Gareth said. “But we could have some tea now, and then wait to eat more when we get to a town.”

 

Chapter 21.

So we stopped, set a small fire and heated some water for tea. I made some more sandwiches with the remaining bread and we ate them with the tea. That warmed us even more. Then we continued on.

The first signs of life we came to were in a village that was certainly too small to be Meecham.

“I think this is Sorn,” Rees told us. “As sorry an excuse for a town as there ever was.”

It was a tiny settlement, but there was a stable, where we left the horses. Gareth handed the stableman some coins and instructions to feed and water our steeds well. “And don't think I won't know if you haven't,” he called back in warning as we walked away.

There were also two taverns in the village. We chose the larger and more crowded one, knowing it would be a good place to gather information.

Rees and Colm commandeered two tables, placing them together while the rest of us pulled over some chairs. A woman with a stained apron over a dull gray dress with a voluminous skirt came to tell us, “There's a stew and sam'iches. What'll it be?”

We all ordered the stew, although we expected it to be thin with little meat, and the men asked for some ale. Before the woman walked away, she stared at me. “So, youse come south after all,” she said.

It was then that I recognized her as the woman Blane and I had met our first night away from the manor. I thought that if I told her why we were here, she'd give us some news about what was happening in Meecham. “We found out that the friend we were looking for was headed for Meecham.”

“An' good luck to 'im!” she said. “The town is full o' people, all lookin' for the Orb. Me an' Mady come here instead. Run out of money, didn't we? Them rich folks with their sorcerers and wizards was sure to beat us to it.”

“Wasn't there another man with you?” Blane asked. He'd recognized her too.

“Oh, you mean Grish.” She shook her head. “Got himself killt in a fight in Meecham, he did.”

“Oh, I'm sorry!” I said.

She shrugged. “'Twas askin' for it, I sez.”

“Our food?” Gareth reminded her.

“Comin' right up, yer highness,” she said with an exaggerated bow.

“How did she know?” Carys asked after she was out of earshot.

“I don't think she did. To people like her, we're all royalty,” Blane said.

“Are we going to stay here tonight?” I asked. This tavern was a little cleaner than the one where we'd met the woman, but I doubted the facilities were very good. Still, as we'd discussed earlier, it was indoors and heated by a good sized fire. There might even be some private rooms and hopefully washing facilities.

“Let's eat and then inquire about accommodations,” Gareth suggested.

The stew when it came was surprisingly good, thick with vegetables and potatoes, but the pieces of meat were a fair size too and very tender. I didn't want to ask what kind of meat it was. I was so hungry, it didn't matter. It came with thick slabs of a crusty bread and real butter. Carys and I each had a strong cup of tea, while the men, including my brother, drank ale. In all, it was a much better meal than we expected.

The woman, who finally told us her name was Tanny, returned to take our plates. “Will you be wantin' anythin' else?” she asked.

“Any pie?” Colm asked. “I've been dreaming of pie for days!”

“Apple, berry or burce?” Tanny asked.

I was coming to love that new fruit. “I'll have the burce,” I said.

“Oh, yes, me, too, please,” Carys said.

The men each ordered what they wanted, and Tanny went to get our desserts. The pies were as good as the stew had been. We felt well-fed indeed.

Gareth insisted on paying for us all. Blane and I couldn't afford to argue with him. We didn't know whether we'd need our remaining money in the near future.

The proprietor of the tavern approached our table after Gareth paid and asked if we'd be staying the night. “We have some rooms above stairs,” he said. “Clean beds and a place to wash up.” I think he believed he had someone with deep pockets and wanted to get as much out of us as possible. “Much better value for your money than the other tavern in town.”

But Gareth wasn't extravagant with his money. “How much?” he asked. He was able to bargain the man's first asking price down to a reasonable level, and we all went up the stairs at the back of the tavern. We'd be using two of the rooms off a narrow hallway that ran the length of the place. Carys and I would share the smaller of the rooms and the men would all be in the larger one.

Our room already had two beds in it. The sheets on them were clean and there were even feather beds and pillows. There was just one wash room for all those staying at the tavern, but we took turns using it. It was a full fledged wash room, too. The tub water was thankfully warm and was changed after each use. I thought it was strange to find this well-run tavern in such a poor town, but I was happy we found it.

We didn't meet the occupants of the other rooms that night. Once we were washed and changed our clothes, Carys and I talked in our room for a while, but then went to bed. I hoped to be able to contact Madoc and let him know where we were, and I wasn't disappointed.

I could feel his mind reaching out to mine. It was strange, but I was beginning to recognize his touch. It was a little different from Blane's, even gentler, and very protective.

I pictured the tavern where we were spending the night, and tried to indicate that we'd be in Meecham the next day. The images he sent in return showed a town teaming with people, even though it was late at night. The torchlit streets seemed to be filled with long-standing taverns and more makeshift establishments, all busy. The sound of voices, talking and shouting, was louder than any I'd heard in East Harbor or Fairhaven in the daytime.

The last message he sent was, “Just be careful.”

I didn't fall asleep right away even though I was very tired. There was too much to think about. Would we be able to find Madoc, now that we were so close? Would we be able to rescue him? I had a lot of confidence in Gareth's ability and that of Rees and Colm. Blane proved that he was always good in a fight. Even Carys was brave, or at least...plucky. We certainly wouldn't get caught up in the frenzy to find the Orb. That wasn't what we were there for. But it appeared that Meecham had become a free-for-all town, lawless maybe. And that meant there was uncontrolled violence. How could we contend with that?

I could understand why Tanny and Mady gave up and came to Sorn. It was safer here. Maybe if we weren't trying to rescue Madoc, we would turn around and go back to Fairhaven. But that was why we were here, and of course we would go on.

I finally fell asleep, not waking until daylight streamed through the curtains on the small window in our room. Carys and I each used the wash room and then dressed for the day. We'd have another few hours ride. Before we left the tavern, we ate breakfast, eggs and bacon and porridge. I hadn't had any porridge since I'd left the manor, and it was a nice change. We were also able to purchase some cheese and bread from the tavern proprietor for the rest of our journey. The few other people who'd spent the night at the tavern, ate quickly and left. We needed to be on our way, too.

The horses seemed fed and rested when we retrieved them from the stable. I told Gallin that we would only be riding for two or three hours more, and he seemed to find that funny.

There was an actual road from Sorn to Meecham, not paved smooth, but at least it was well packed dirt, and three horses wide. We saw a few other riders and walkers going in the same direction, as well as two or three coming the other way. Over the first hour, as other paths joined the road, the numbers heading toward Meecham increased dramatically.

Some called to us, asking if we had word on whether anyone had found the Orb yet. Rees called it a pilgrimage, but I wasn't sure what he meant. Colm said their eyes were all on the prize. Well, I think that was true.

It was good that the road widened. Still, the numbers of other riders made our going slow. We didn't get our first view of the town until three hours after we started. As we approached, I closed my eyes and reached my mind out to contact Madoc. But it was as if the sheer number of people around me, and around him, prevented anything getting through.

The image I'd gotten the night before matched what we saw before us, some one and two story buildings, huts and tents, even lean-tos covered most of the available space around a few taverns and shops that must have constituted the town in the past. Here and there were homes, but these were few in number.

“It's certainly grown since I was last here,” Rees said, looking about with wide eyes.

“How will we ever find Madoc in all of this?” Carys asked.

“I...I haven't been able to contact him,” I admitted.

“We can start by asking around,” Gareth proposed.

“Should we stay together?” Blane asked.

“It might be faster if we split into two groups,” Gareth replied. “I'll take Carys and Colm, while you and your sister go with Rees. We'll meet...” His eyes scanned the street in front of us. “We can meet at that tavern in an hour.” He pointed to an establishment with a sign that read, 'Nips'.

I could see that Carys didn't want to leave me, or maybe it was Blane she wanted to stay with, but I thought she could manage for an hour, and besides, she'd be with her brother.

 

Chapter 22.

Blane and I set off, following Rees down a side street. “If I remember rightly, there's a stable down this way,” he said. “We might be better able to search on foot.”

Sure enough, there was a barn with several horse stalls at the end of the lane. A man with a sparse beard was grooming the three horses already housed there.

“Tal?” Rees called to him.

The man turned at his voice and a broad smile filled his face. “Rees! As I live and breath! I thought I'd never see you again.”

“And yet, here I am,” Rees said, dismounting. “My friends and I are looking for a place to leave our horses for the night.”

“Well, you came to the right place,” Tal said as his eyes shifted to Blane and me, and our horses.

“This is Gallin,” I told him. “And I'm Nissa.”

“A handsome horse, and a lovely horsewoman,” he said, gracing me with a smile.

“And this is Starfire,” my brother said. “I'm Blane.”

“Nice to meet you both,” Tal said. “Your steeds will be well tended to in my care, as I'm sure Rees has told you.”

He hadn't, but I was sure that Rees wouldn't have brought us here if Tal wasn't good with horses.

“We're looking for a few people,” Rees told Tal.

“What, you're not here to find the Orb, like all the other dolts?” Tal asked with a grin.

Rees chuckled, and shook his head. “No.” He proceeded to describe Gal Evans, as well as the men we believed were with him, and then he added a description of Madoc.

“Sorry, Rees. Can't say as I've seen any of 'em,” Tal replied.

“Well, we'll keep on looking in town,” Rees said.

“Try askin' at the Emporium,” Tal said. “Everyone has to buy some supplies there.”

“Good idea. Thanks, Tal. We'll stop by tomorrow.”

The three of us walked back to the main street and Rees pointed to the right. “The Emporium is halfway down this street, that big building with the red and white sign.”

We made our way through the crowds to the building he'd indicated. People were walking in and out of it. The ones coming out all had packages and sacks in their hands.

“You can buy just about anything here. Clothing, food, pots and pans, even swords and arrows,” Rees said as we stepped inside.

I'd never been in a place like this. I wished I had some money to buy some of the things I saw. But that wasn't why we were here. We approached a man behind a counter piled high with baked goods. Rees seemed to know him, too.

“Kesh, it is good to see you again,” he said.

“Rees!” Kesh said, and came around to grab Rees' shoulders with massive hands. “A sight for sore eyes, indeed!”

“This place is booming!” Rees said, and Kesh grinned.

“Can I interest you in some bread? Cookies, maybe?”

“Perhaps later,” Rees said. “My friends and I are looking for a few people.” He repeated his descriptions of all the men including Madoc.

“Ah, yes! The one with the goatee. He was in here yesterday for some tobacco, bread and sugar.”

That was one of Evans' men. His name was Devit Jones.

“Do you know where they're staying?” Rees asked.

Kesh shook his head. “There are so many people in the town and staying in tents just to the south. I have no idea where any of them are.”

“What do you hear about the efforts to find the Orb?” my brother asked.

“Rumors, just rumors. You hear that someone found it, then that it wasn't the Orb atall, but some rock or some piece of wood. You should go south of town, see the tent cities that have sprung up, the people crawling over the hills like ants.”

“What made anyone think the thing was here?” Rees wanted to know.

“Several months ago, an old wizard rode into town on his old mule, claiming that it had come to him in a dream. He would find the Orb here and become the greatest wizard in the land,” Kesh told us. “Two months ago, he had another dream that took him off west, but folks are still flocking to Meecham, still looking for the Orb here.”

“And you have no interest in finding it yourself?” I asked.

“What for? The longer it remains undiscovered, and there's still a hope that it will be, the longer all these people will stay in Meecham. My business has never been better!” he smiled at me. “Are you sure you don't want a cookie, miss?”

They did look good, two large circular biscuits with jam between them, and icing on top, but I didn't have any money for one.

“I'll buy you one, Nissa,” Rees said, watching me eye the display.

“Oh, you don't have to do that!” I protested.

He smiled at me. “Perhaps I'll buy some for all of us,” he said. “We're meeting our traveling companions at Nips,” he told Kesh. “So I'll take six of them.”

“Excellent,” the proprietor said. “And come back whenever you need more provisions.”

“We will.”

“But take care if you're heading to Nips. It's been overrun lately by some unsavory types,” Kesh warned us.

“We'll see you again Kesh. Thanks for the cookies and for the information,” Rees said.

Blane and I followed him out of the store and across the road to the tavern where we were to meet Gareth, Carys and Colm. We could hear the raucous laughter before we even reached the doors. I wondered why all of these people weren't busily searching for the Orb rather than spending their time drinking.

Blane must have wondered the same thing, for he asked, “Shouldn't they all be south of town with the others, combing the hills for the Orb?”

“Maybe they think they'll find it at the bottom of a mug of ale,” Rees said as he pushed through the swinging doors and into the crowded and overly warm interior. His eyes scanned the room for the rest of our party. Suddenly he gave a start, and pointed with his chin. “Over there.”

We looked where he indicated. Two men sat at a far table, talking quietly. His descriptions had been very accurate, enough so that I had no doubt the men were Evans and his man Devit Jones.

“Maybe we can follow them when they leave here,” Blane suggested. “Find where they're keeping Madoc.”

“Perhaps,” Rees said guardedly. I could tell he was thinking about something. “They won't be recognizing the two of you, and they may not even know me, although I think they will. But they'll know Prince Gareth and Princess Carys the moment they set eyes on them.”

“Oh!” I hadn't thought of that. The place was crowded, but there weren't many women, and Carys and I would stick out in the throng. “Maybe we should wait outside.”

Rees nodded, and we went back out. We were just in time to see Gareth, Carys and Colm approaching.

“What's wrong?” Gareth asked.

“Evans and his man Jones are inside,” Rees replied.

“Can we follow them when they leave?” Carys asked eagerly.

“Yes, but not too closely. They'll recognize you, I think.”

“Yes, that's true,” Gareth said. “Did you find out anything else?”

We told him all that we'd heard from Tal and the Emporium proprietor, and he told us that they'd learned that there were some religious folks who were trying to prevent anyone from finding the Orb, believing as the H'resea did, that it would bring about the end of the world.

“It wouldn't, would it?” Carys asked.

We all agreed that we didn't know enough about it. Blane and I had never heard of it until a week or so before, and the others had only heard fables and rumors.

We stood outside the tavern, munching on the cookies that Rees had purchased from Kesh, and waiting for Evans and Jones to come out. “Do you think there's a back way out?” Colm suddenly asked.

“Yes, I believe there is,” Rees said.

“I can go back in and see if they're still there,” Blane volunteered.

“And we'll go 'round to the back,” Rees said. “C'mon Colm.”

Blane returned quickly to report that the two men were still right where we'd seen them, a tankard of ale in front of each, so we settled in for a long wait.

But fifteen minutes later, we heard shouts and other noises coming from the tavern. Peaking in, we could see that a fight had broken out among several of the drunken men. Suddenly, we heard Colm call to us from around the corner of the building. “They came out the back. C'mon, we'll have to rush to keep sight of them.”

We joined him and Rees, following the two cloaked figures down back alleys and around a few buildings. We were able to keep them in sight until they reached the main street again, and then we lost them in the crowd. But at least we saw what direction they were heading, not south to the tent cities that Kesh had told us about, but west.

We continued in that direction for a while to see if we could locate them again once they left the throngs of people in the town, but we never saw them again. The only conclusion we could reach was that they'd stopped somewhere before the western end of the main street of the town.

There were several building there, though. They could have gone into any one of them. At least we seemed to be narrowing our search.

“We should secure lodgings for the night,” Gareth said. “We can come back here later and ask some questions, maybe find out where they're staying.”

None of the buildings here appeared to have rooms, so we went back to the part of town where the taverns, shops and other commercial establishments were. “Letti's is always clean, and not too pricey,” Rees said. “Maybe even genteel enough for the ladies.”

It turned out to be a home and the owner, Letti Cleaton, a pretty blond, rented rooms to visitors to the town.

“Rees, long time no see,” she said, the moment her eyes fell on him. Unfortunately, with all the people flocking to Meecham, she didn't have any rooms available. “You can try Ada Parry's,” Letti told us, but mostly she was smiling at Rees. He smiled back, a smile that almost made him look handsome. “Almost every room in Meecham's been taken for weeks,” she said. “Not that I'm complaining.”

“We'll try Ada's,” Rees told her.

“You will come back and see me while you're in town,” she practically begged.

“You know I will,” Rees said, smiling at her.

We went on to Ada's, also a home, but not as well-kept on the outside at Letti's. Still, it was larger, with many more rooms. Ada was older than Letti, with graying dark hair pulled back at the nape of her neck.

“I think I can accommodate you,” she told us. “Will you be wanting two rooms or more?”

“One for the ladies and another for the four of us,” Gareth told her.

“Right-O,” she said. “Come this way.”

We followed her down a hallway with a worn runner down the center. The house was better tended on the inside than the outside. We learned later that it had been built when Meecham was a place where those who got rich from the salt mines to the north had built their family homes. After the mines closed, the town had fallen on hard times, but things were changing again with the influx of people looking for the Orb.

The rooms were sparsely furnished with old pieces, but clean and tidy. Carys and I would be sharing a large bed, with plenty of quilts and pillows. There was a wash basin in the room and Ada promised to bring us hot water to wash up every night and morning. I doubted there were facilities for a bath or for washing our clothes anywhere in town, so we'd make do.

Ada also told us that the best place for us to get a meal without being accosted by any of the Orb-seekers in town was at a small tavern called Bowen's. It catered to a gentler clientèle, and emphasized food over drink.

We took a few minutes to look through our packs to see whether there was anything we needed. One of Carys' blouses had lost a button and I showed her how to sew one on. Luckily, I had a few spares for my own clothes that could be used. It looked like we needed some soap, as Ada didn't supply any, and a cloth to wipe our hands and faces.

“I can't believe we're finally here,” Carys confessed, folding the blouse I'd just mended. “I hope that we find Madoc soon.”

“We will,” I promised her. “As many people as there are in Meecham, I still think we'll be able to locate where he is, and then help him to get away.”

“And then what?” she asked. “I would prefer it if we didn't have to traverse the tundra again.”

“I suppose we'll head north instead,” I said. “Perhaps once we've reached the Merchant's Road, you can come home with us for a while instead of going straight back to Fairhaven with Gareth.”

“Oh, do you think so? I would love to see the manor and to meet the rest of your family.”

“And spend more time with Blane?” I teased.

“He's very handsome, your brother is, and oh, so nice,” she said, pink touching her cheeks as she smiled.

I smiled back. “Let's go join the men and see what else we can find out before we go for dinner. Maybe we'll go back to the Emporium and buy some soap.”

 

Chapter 23.

It turned out that the men had their own list of items they thought they could use, although I wondered what they were planning to do with candles or a butter knife.

We walked back towards the Emporium. Most of the other people seemed to be headed in that direction, too. Maybe it was because that's where the taverns were. For the most part it was a merry crowd. It lent a party atmosphere to the town, like a perpetual holiday. I suppose for many of them the quest for the Orb had been an excuse to get away from their humdrum lives, to go on an adventure.

A fair number of folks did enter the Emporium, although most went to Nips and the other places like it nearby. Kesh still stood behind the same counter, but I noticed all of the cookies were gone.

“Thought of something else you need?” he asked.

Rees asked for the knife, and Gareth for the candles. Blane needed more foot coverings, and Carys and I wanted the finest soap he had and some cloths for washing our faces. Without asking questions, Kesh complied, getting some of the items himself, and sending a lad, who appeared to work for him, to find the rest. Our purchases were wrapped in paper and Gareth again paid for the lot.

“I'm sorry I don't have any more of those cookies,” Kesh apologized.

“We enjoyed the ones that Rees bought earlier,” Carys told him. “Perhaps you'll have more tomorrow?”

“Oh, more than likely.” He smiled at her, and bid us good evening, before turning to another customer.

“The place Ada told us about for dinner is down this way,” Rees told us as we walked back out onto the street with our parcels.

It was in a quiet little side street. We saw a man and two women enter before us, dressed in strange but better clothes than most of those in Meecham. A bell rang as we opened the wooden door and we stepped into a fairly quiet room containing about a dozen long tables with benches on either side. It appeared that diners ate together here, like we did at home at the manor.

A man greeted us at the door as we entered and waved a hand at all the tables, saying, “Take any table you wish.” Only half of them had any people sitting at them. We could join one that was already occupied or take a table for ourselves, but I guess we all thought that if we joined someone else for dinner we could gather more information.

We picked table where the man and two women who'd entered just before us sat, thinking that they'd stay as long as we did. Gareth introduced us each just by our first names.

“I am called Burgo,” the man said. His accent was odd and it didn't seem that Learic was his native tongue. “These are my wives, Taba and Gita.” The two women looked at each other and began to giggle. “Are you come to search the Orb?” Burgo asked.

“Hasn't everyone?” Gareth asked, rather than admit that we had no interest in the artifact, whether it was real or just a fairytale.

“We come long way,” Burgo said, “But so many people search!”

“Where do you come from?” Rees asked him.

At first it seemed he didn't understand the question, but finally he said, “Tuzla. We from Tuzla,” he said, pointing to himself.

I didn't even know where that was, but Rees seemed to have an idea. “That is a long way from here.”

“Who told you the Orb was here?” Blane asked, wondering how word had traveled that kind of distance.

“Ah, trademan.” At our blank stare, he tried again. “Trader? Fur trader?” He pointed to the collar of his coat, hanging from a hook on the wall near our table.

“Do they catch animals for fur in Tuzla?” I asked, hoping he would understand.

“Animals, yes. Bear, leopard.” He grinned at me, displaying a gold tooth.

The man who'd greeted us at the door came to our table and told us all, “We have tonight roast chicken. Also stew.”

I'd had enough stew to last me a while so I ordered the chicken and so did the rest of our party, but Burgo ordered the stew for himself and his wives, who continued to giggle together. Without asking, the man brought us each a tankard of ale and a mug of tea with our meals.

“How long have you been in Meecham?” Gareth asked Burgo.

“One week,” Burgo replied, then shook his head. “Too many people search here. I not find.”

“I heard that many have wizards with them,” Blane said.

Burgo nodded. His understanding of our language seemed to be much better than his fluency. “Too many wizards. But no one find.”

“Are you going to stay, or leave for your home?” Carys asked him.

He smiled at her. “We leave tomorrow.”

His two wives picked at their food, but he seemed to have a big appetite. When he finished his stew, they passed him theirs, and he finished those plates, too.

Our chicken was delicious, the skin crispy and nicely seasoned, and the vegetables with it were tasty. There was lull in the conversation while we ate, but I think we were all trying to think of questions to ask Burgo.

“They don't speak Learic, do they?” Carys whispered to me at one point. I knew she meant the wives.

I shook my head slightly as I studied them. They were fairly young, not much older than Carys and me, and rather pretty, with painted lips and cheeks.

The man who'd taken our orders and brought our food came by after a while to take our plates away, and tell us, “Pie and cookies come with your meal.”

He went off again, and when he returned he had a dessert plate for each of us and a woman accompanying him brought out two pies and a platter of cookies. I supposed that these cookies were a big thing in Meecham. They seemed to be everywhere. We each took what we wanted. I had another piece of bruce pie. More tea and ale were poured.

“We hope you will have a safe trip back to Tuzla,” Gareth told Burgo.

“We take care.” Burgo said as he took a second piece of pie. We watched as he ate it with a big smile on his face while his wives nibbled on cookies. You would think he would be a much heavier man, the way he ate, but he was fairly short and average build.

While we'd been eating, the other tables had filled up, mostly with well-dressed folks in small groups of three and four.

When we'd all finished eating, Burgo paid for himself, Taba and Gita and said, “Best wishes for search.” They left with a nod to us all. We never told him we were on a different kind of quest from everyone else in Meecham.

After dinner we decided we would make inquiries near where we'd lost Evans and Jones. We went back to the main street and walked west. There were even more people on the streets than earlier in the day. When we arrived at the west end of the street, we turned around and, three of us on either side of the street, began to ask the people walking or standing around whether they'd seen the people we were looking for.

One woman thought she'd seen Jones a couple of times, but she didn't know where he was staying. An older man said he thought Fallon, the man who owned the end house, was renting out rooms. But no one could confirm that they were there. Still it was better than nothing.

“I'll go talk to the man who owns the house,” Blane volunteered.

“I'll go with you,” Colm said.

The two of them knocked on the front door of the house and a middle-aged man appeared in the doorway. They followed him inside. We waited nervously outside to see what they'd find out.

Most of the people on the street were walking toward the main part of the city, but there were a few others standing around and chatting, the way we were. Rees approached one of them, someone we hadn't questioned earlier. He assumed the accent of the people of Meecham. We were close enough that we could hear him say, “Can you believe all of the fools what have come here to look for some fantasy?”

The man looked him over. “Do I know you?” he asked.

“Probably not, but I've seen you 'roundabouts.”

The man nodded. “With all the strangers in town, can't be too careful, you know.”

“Oh, aye!”

“The town's not what it was any more,” the man complained. “Some's getting rich off the strangers, but the rest of us have to put up with the crowds and the noise.”

“I hear Fallon's renting out his rooms,” Rees said.

“So I hear. Never seen anyone, but they must be more of them strangers,” his informant said. “You know Remly? He says they'll pay whatever you ask. Bet Fallon's raking it in.” Obviously, he was envious. The folks who'd come looking for the Orb had caused him nothing but trouble, while people like Fallon were benefiting from the visitors.

“I hear what you're saying. Seems the rest of the residents of Meecham should get something out of this too.”

“Too right!”

“But what I don't understand is how come all these wizards and such can't find the thing,” Rees prodded.

“Because it don't exist!”

“You're sure?”

“If I thought it did, I'd be digging south of town myself!” the man said with a laugh.

Rees nodded. “Well, guess I'll be seeing you around.”

“Yeah.” The man watched a woman approaching from the building next to Fallon's. “Well, gotta be moving.” He met up with the woman and the two of them joined the crowds walking east.

Blane and Colm returned at the same time that Rees did. “Fallon didn't have any more rooms to let,” Colm reported. “He says five men took the rooms on the second floor, and paid him to keep the rest of the rooms empty.”

“Did you ask about the five men?” Gareth asked.

“We didn't want to alert him, but we asked if they might be from our 'hometown', Stancia, so he told us they were from Fairhaven.”

I thought it odd that Evans and his men would admit that, but was happy they had.

“Now we just have to find a way to get to the second floor of Fallon's building, preferably when Evans and some of his men are away,” Rees said.

“Well, there's nothing more we can do now,” Gareth said. “We'll come back tomorrow morning.”

We went back to Ada's and requested the hot water she'd promised, then went to our rooms. While we waited for her to deliver our water, Carys said, “What do you think you would you have done if Burgo had asked you to become wife number three?”

“Me? If he asked anyone, it would have been you,” I replied. “You're so much prettier than Taba and Gita.”

“Well, so are you,” Carys said with a laugh.

“Me?” I repeated. “I don't think anyone would say that.”

“You haven't noticed how Rees looks at you sometimes?” Carys teased.

“Rees? He's...old!” I said. “I don't really mean old old, like, um, well, almost as old as my father...” I said quietly. “Anyway, I think he likes that Letti we saw earlier.”

Carys laughed. “Well Colm's young and he's been watching you too.”

“Oh, c'mon, Carys! You can't seriously think either of them, or anyone else thinks about me...romantically!” Besides, I'd begun to wonder about Colm. He seemed to have more interest in my brother than in Carys or me.

 

Chapter 24.

Ada knocked on the door and came in with a large kettle of hot water.

“Thank you Ada,” Carys said.

“Yes, this is just what we needed,” I added.

“Let me know in the morning when you need some more,” Ada said, as she carefully poured the water into the basin in our room before leaving.

We took out the new soap. It smelled very good. And the cloths we bought were soft. Carys and I washed our hands and faces, then decided modesty wasn't going to prevent us from washing other areas. We'd been on the road for a few days, and we both felt gritty.

We realized we should have bought some toweling, too. Another trip to the Emporium might be needed. Meanwhile, the paper Kesh had wrapped the soap and cloths in would have to do. We put on our nightclothes and got under the sheets and quilts.

I tried once again to 'contact' Madoc. I thought at first that I had, but soon realized it was Blane, who was also reaching out to him. I thought that maybe together we could touch Madoc's mind. Looking over at Carys, I wondered if she could help, but she was fast asleep. So I joined my efforts with Blane's and ever so faintly we received a response. We tried to convey our plan to free him the next day. Hopefully he'd be prepared. But we weren't able to get any more information from him about his whereabouts on the second floor of Fallon's house.

The effort of working with Blane to tell Madoc our plans was draining, and I immediately fell asleep. I woke to Carys shaking my shoulder.

“It's daylight,” she said. “The sooner we get up, the sooner we can go rescue my brother.”

She made it sound so simple, but I knew it would be anything but. “Oh, all right. I'll get up. How do we let Ada know we want more water?” I asked, stretching, then shivering at how cold it was once my arms were out from under the covers.

“I've already called down,” she said, indicating the pull near the door that was used to send a signal.

I wrapped myself in the sheet again as we waiting, but it wasn't long before Ada appeared with another kettle. She just poured the water from the night before out the window. I pitied anyone who was walking by below. Then she filled the basin again with scalding hot water and left.

Carys and I washed again and dressed. I put on Donal's pants and the cleanest of my blouses, then took my cloak since it seemed to be colder that morning.

The men were already dressed and waiting for us downstairs. It seemed that Blane had told the others about our brief contact with Madoc the night before.

“Why didn't you tell me?” Carys whined. But she didn't say anything about wanting to help. I guess she was still determined to keep her own abilities from the rest of our companions.

“I didn't have a chance this morning,” I tried to explain. “The important thing is, I think he knows we're coming to free him.”

“I've been wondering,” Colm said. “Now don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining or anything. But if Master Madoc is such a good wizard, why couldn't he get free himself?”

I wasn't sure how to explain it, but I thought it was worth a try. “The kind of magic he does is based on the energies in all living things. He can focus that energy, for instance, to touch our minds because we've been attuned to him. And occasionally this ability can be used to change the mind of lower creatures like that ice monster we sent away out on the tundra. But it's obvious that a man like Evans has a strong enough mind to resist that kind of coercion. Does that make sense?”

“What my sister is saying is that it's not magic wands and abracadabra like in the fairytales,” Blane added. “He can't magically break any bonds they have on him, or wish himself somewhere else.”

“OK,” Colm said with a nod. “I understand a little better now.”

“And now that that's settled, can we get something to eat?” Rees said. “I'm starving, and I know I won't be able to free anyone until after I've gotten some food under my belt.”

We all laughed, and started down the street. We'd passed a small tea shop the night before, and decided to give it a try. It was crowded but we managed to get a table. At first, Rees and Colm had to stand, but the couple at the next table were finished and when they left, Gareth's two men sat down.

The place served tea and pastries and the inevitable cookies. “Do you also have coffee?” Gareth asked the serving girl who came to pour our tea.

“Yes, of course. How many coffees would you like, sir?”

Only Gareth and Rees wanted some. The rest of us were quite content with tea. The pastries, which I thought would be sweet, were filled with meat instead, although Gareth and Colm ordered some fried ones that had a kind of jam in them.

We finished our breakfasts and went back out to the main street and headed west again. When we reached the end of the street and Fallon's building, we found a spot where those coming out couldn't see us, and settled in to wait. It wasn't long before we saw Jones and another man exit and walk towards the center of town. Did that mean that Evans was still there? I didn't think we wanted to deal with him if we could help it.

We waited a while longer but no one else came out. Gareth made a decision. “We're going in now. There's still six of us and only two of them guarding Madoc.”

“Let's see whether there's a back entrance,” Rees suggested.

“Good idea,” Gareth said. I think he was very impressed with the performance of his two men.

While we waited for Rees to go around the building and look for another entrance, I reached out my mind to Madoc, and immediately I sensed a weak response. I tried to ask him to let me know who was with him, and how well they were guarding him. Instantly I could see a picture of a dingy room. Madoc appeared to be on a bed or something low, for I could see Evans standing over him and another man, tall and thin, in the background.

The two men were taking turns shouting at Madoc, something about 'What kind of wizard are you? Don't you want to find the Orb?' Things like that.

It confirmed what we'd thought had motivated Evans' abduction of Madoc, whether it was his own idea or he was asked to do so by someone else. Obviously Madoc had failed or even refused to help them. I wasn't at all surprised. I reported what I was seeing to the others.

Rees returned and said, “There's a small door at the back of the building. I don't know where it leads, but it might be a better way for us to get in without being seen.”

“Is it locked?” Colm asked.

“Well, yes, it appears to be, but that won't stop us,” Rees replied with a sly smile.

“I think some of us should remain out here to make sure they don't try to leave with Madoc,” Blane suggested.

“Good idea,” Gareth agreed. “I'll take Rees and...Nissa. Stay here with Colm and Carys.”

I was a bit surprised that he might think I could be of help if it came to a fight with Evans and the other man, but I certainly was willing. Now that we were so close, I felt an overwhelming desire to see Madoc again. The only one who seemed even a little disappointed by the arrangement was Colm, but he was not going to disobey Gareth.

I followed Rees and Gareth around the building. The door was small, indeed. Rees did something to the lock with the butter knife he'd bought, and it swung open, but both men had to duck to get through it. It was too low for me, as well, so I bent my head and walked in behind them.

A narrow stairway led downward from the small hallway just inside the door, possibly to a cellar. The one going up was slightly wider but looked rickety and there was no handrail. We made our way upstairs as stealthily as we could, hoping the stairs would lead to the part of the second floor where they were keeping Madoc.

It was hard to keep the treads from creaking as we walked up. I wished I could tell Madoc to make some kind of noise so Evans and the other man wouldn't hear us coming. Could I send him a 'picture' of sound? I tried.

We reached the second floor landing and looked around. Three doors led off of it, but one was open and we could see that there was no one inside. Gareth motioned for Rees to try the next door. It was locked. He took out the knife he'd used on the outer door and was able to open it. No one there either.

That left the third door. We moved closer to it, and Gareth pressed an ear to it to see if he could hear anyone on the other side. There was a loud sound, like a chair falling over, and then a shout and a scuffle. Rees worked on the lock. It appeared to be harder to open, but finally he managed it.

Rees and Gareth rushed in, with me close behind. Evans was standing to the side while his man was scuffling with Madoc. Gareth pulled them apart and Rees was able to surprise Evans. I helped him hold the ringleader despite his struggle to get free.

“What are we going to do with them?” Rees asked.

There were ropes on the cot and Madoc used some to tie up the other man.

“Nissa, use some of those to tie Evans arms behind him,” Gareth instructed.

I nodded and set to work. Once we had both men's hands bound, we had them sit on the cot and bound their feet, too. Only then did Madoc and his brother greet each other by clasping each other's hands. Madoc finally turned to me. “I see I can't keep you out of danger.” He hesitated, then hugged me close. “Thank you, dearest Nissa.”

It felt good to have his arms around me, even better than I'd expected, but I wasn't sure how to respond. I leaned against him and said, “We were all so worried about you.”

 

Chapter 25.

Madoc finally let go of me and asked, “Where are the others? Is Carys safe?”

“She's with Blane and one of my men, Colm Goren,” Gareth replied.

“So maybe she's safe,” I said with a grin.

This time we used the front staircase. Wider, with handrails and solid wooden steps, it was so much easier to navigate than the back one. When we came through the front door, Carys, Blane and Colm were waiting for us and their faces broke out into smiles when they saw us.

Carys came running over and threw her arms around her brother's neck. “I'm happy to see you, too,” Madoc told her. “But you shouldn't have made this perilous journey.”

“Well, I did, and I'm here, and now you're back with us.” Her grin couldn't be any wider.

Blane clapped Madoc on the back and asked him how he was. “You seemed a little weak when Nissa and I tried to contact you.”

“They've been giving me very little to eat, hoping that would convince me to cooperate with them,” Madoc explained.

“I expect they're after the Orb, like everyone else in this town?” Colm asked.

“Oh, aye. Stuff and nonsense, I say. If it exists at all, I doubt it can do half the things that people have been saying,” Madoc said.

Despite his ordeal he was the same old Madoc! A mage scoffing at magic or anything that smacked of it. “We should be getting you some food and a change of clothes,” I said not trying to mask my concern for him.

He grinned at me. “Thank you, my dear. Yes, you're right.” He was looking around and then down the street. “I haven't been out for a day or two. When I didn't 'perform' as they wanted, Evans and his men decided to punish me for a while. But they were growing impatient. I guess they thought someone would beat them to the Orb while I refused to help them.”

We began walking back to the main part of Meecham. “So many people chasing a dream,” Madoc said, shaking his head.

“Are you sure that's all it is, Master Madoc?” Colm asked.

“Even if it exists, it could cause more harm than good.”

“That's what the H'resea told us,” I said.

“You met them, then.”

“You know who they are? We met a few of the women. They accompanied us almost to the Frozen Tundra,” I replied.

“Why did you come that way?” he asked.

“We were so far behind you.” Carys replied. “And Father's people in East Harbor advised it,”

“Well, you made it, but I trust you aren't going back that way.”

“Carys and I were talking about that last night,” I said. “I imagine we'll go north from here, and separate when we reach the Merchant's Road, but Carys wants to come with us to the manor and meet our parents and Donal and Morna. Will you be coming back to the manor with us?”

“That is where I was headed when Evans and his men surrounded me in Fairhaven,” he replied.

“How did that happen? Didn't you hear or see them coming?” Gareth asked.

“It was an ambush.” He refused to say more about it.

We neared the taverns and restaurants but Gareth said, “I don't think it's a wise idea for us to eat in public. Come back to our rooms. We still have some food, and we can get more at the Emporium before we leave Meecham.”

We gathered in the room the men had used the night before. Either they or Ada had straightened the bedding. The room also held two chairs so there was enough seating for all of us. There was bread and cheese, some dried meat, some of the root vegetables we'd found and some apples.

“This is a feast!” Madoc declared. Watching him eat made us all hungry again, even though we'd had a large breakfast.

“We'll get you some cookies at the Emporium,” Carys said. I think she'd become addicted to the things, as we all had.

“When do we leave?” Rees asked, polishing off an apple.

“As soon as we replenish our supplies, I think,” Gareth said.

“The sooner we're out of this town the better,” Blane agreed.

Carys and I left the men to pack up all of their belongings and went back to our room to do the same. We met them in the hallway several minutes later. On our way out, we stopped to say goodbye to Ada.

“Thanks for everything,” I told her.

“Letti will be sad to hear you've left without saying goodbye to her too,” she told Rees.

“Next time,” he said with a grin.

We went next to the Emporium. Kesh was in his usual spot behind the counter and smiled when he saw us. We purchased some foodstuffs, including a dozen cookies, as well as some clothing and a blanket for Madoc, and a pack to carry it all in.

Gareth, Colm and Carys had left their horses at a different stable, but they met us at the one where our horses were, and where we were bargaining with the stableman to purchase one for Madoc. His own horse was with the ones Evans and his men rode, and we didn't want to go there to get it.

“I'll miss Willow,” Madoc said, examining the horse we'd been able to find for him. It wasn't nearly as good a specimen.

We loaded our packs on our horses and mounted again. Gallin seemed happy to see me, although I knew he'd needed the rest after the rigorous trip we'd undertaken from Fairhaven to Meecham.

“The road north begins near here,” Madoc told us and led the way. It was good to get away from the bustling atmosphere of Meecham and it wasn't long before we were well out of the town. I found myself riding beside Madoc.

“You've learned much about how to use your abilities,” he commented.

“Blane has been a help to me, pointing out some methods I hadn't realized on my own.”

“My teaching was incomplete,” he said. “I'm glad you were able to go on without me.”

“Father even taught me to shoot arrows, although he still frowns at me wielding a sword,” I said. “The captain of the ship we took to Fairhaven said he'd give me lessons, but then found that I already knew enough. Still, I...I missed working with you.”

He nodded once, then we rode on in silence.

We stopped before it was dark and lit a small fire to prepare our dinner. Carys helped me cook this time. She was becoming better at deciding what to put in the stew and what to eat raw. She even suggested that we add a few berries to it to give it a slightly sweeter flavor.

As we ate, we discussed again where we would each be going once we reached the Merchant's Road. Gareth and his men insisted they'd be heading back east to East Harbor and from there to Fairhaven. Blane and I were definitely going back to the manor, and Madoc decided he would too. But Gareth was still arguing with Carys about coming with us.

“Whoever put the cook up to delaying our voyage is still in Fairhaven,” Carys argued. “And that person was probably behind Evans abduction of Madoc.”

“That's possible, but it's still no reason for you not to go home,” Gareth countered.

When the arguing became heated, Madoc changed the subject. “This stew is wonderful!”

“Nissa has been feeding us well,” Colm said.

“I think it was even better this time because of a suggestion Carys made,” I told him, winking at her.

The men waited for me to give away her little secret, but she and I continued to smile at each other and wouldn't tell.

We put out our fire and cleaned up the ground around it, fed the horses, then went on. We rode for another hour or two, finally stopping for the night near a grove of low-growing trees on a piece of ground softened by grass.

After making sure the horses were comfortable, we set up camp for the night. I rolled myself in my blankets, but didn't fall asleep right away. I could see that Madoc was sitting at the edge of our camp, watching the area around us, but nothing was stirring.

I rose again, pulling my cloak on, and went to sit with him. He smiled when he saw me. “Do you think we can convince Gareth to allow Carys to come with us to the manor?” I asked. “She wants to go so much!”

“A part of that has to do with Blane, doesn't it?” he asked.

“Yes.” I looked at where the two of them slept, next to each other, but not touching. “They are rather sweet together, aren't they?”

Madoc smiled again, and touched my cheek. “You've certainly grown up, Nissa.”

I wasn't sure what I felt at that moment, maybe a mixture of little girl and grown-up.

“So, all those cooking lessons have come in as handy as any in fighting and magic,” he said, picking up a twig and breaking it into pieces.

“Even the sewing lessons,” I said, but I felt a thrill at his praise.

He squeezed my shoulder and I thought the warmth I felt was from his pride in my accomplishments. It couldn't be anything else, could it?

 

Chapter 26.

“Get some sleep,” Madoc advised. “We have a long way to ride tomorrow.”

“What about you?”

“I'll lie down in a little while,” he replied. “I just want to make sure everything is safe for all of us.”

I did as he said, and saw him finally lie down not long after.

But he never heard them coming in the middle of the night, sneaking into our campsite, Evans and his men. And he didn't sense them as they carried me and Carys off, stifling our screams when we woke by gagging us both.

We rode through the night, back to Meecham. I didn't know at the time, but they made sure that Madoc, Blane, and Gareth and his men knew who'd taken us. They wanted them to come after us.

Evans even said, “You two will be a strong incentive to bring Master Madoc back. And when he comes, we will release you both only after he helps us find the Orb.” We'd become two pawns in his quest for that artefact.

Back to the teaming town of Meecham, back to Fallon's house at the west end of the main street. They took us to the same room where they'd held Madoc. It was only then that they took a good look at what they had.

“Well, as I live and breath!” Evans exclaimed. “The Princess Carys! Perhaps we should keep you for a royal ransom, in the unlikelihood that your brother doesn't cooperate this time.”

“She is a winsome wench,” the one called Devit Jones said.

“I prefer the tall one,” the largest of Evans men said. “She has more fire,” he added with a decided leer.

“Gentlemen, please keep your minds on the task at hand. Perhaps I'll let you have a go at these lovely ladies later on,” Evans told them.

“My brothers will come for us!” Carys said defiantly when they removed her gag.

“I hope they do,” Evans replied. “Particularly Master Madoc. He will learn that I mean to have the Orb, and that he will find it for me or pay very dearly if he doesn't. He may not value his own life so highly, but I am sure he would not let either of you young ladies come to harm.”

They gagged us again, and tied Carys to the cot, then had me sit in the chair. “We could torture you both, right now, but I believe we'll save that for our last resort,” Evans said. Clearly he was in charge.

“How long until the others show up?” the big man asked. “I'd love to beat up that Rees!”

I didn't believe he could, of course, but knew he was itching to try.

I tried to think of a way Carys and I could get away before the others arrived. I tried to touch the minds of these men. Jones was rather easy, but Evans and the big man seemed less susceptible. That's what Madoc had indicated when I asked about any attempts he'd made to get the men to let him go. The fourth man didn't say much, probably because he had nothing to say. His mind seemed almost blank, a dumb thug who followed his master's orders, in this case Evan's. Perhaps if Evans and the big man left us with Jones and the fourth man I could work on them, convince them to let us go. But that was a big 'if'.

Meanwhile, Evans told Jones and the big man, whom he called Willis, that they should get some sleep. He'd guard us with the fourth man, whom he called Simms. For the time being that thwarted my idea.

I indicated to Carys that she should get some sleep, too, while she could. I was sure we'd be safe with Evans and Simms. Before I let myself fall asleep, though, I made an effort to contact Madoc and Blane. I think they were already working together to reach me, just as I'd done with Blane when we were trying to contact Madoc, because I immediately felt their combined minds in my own. I was amazed at how strong the connection was, and was able to indicate to them that we were at Fallon's again. I sensed that they weren't far from Meecham, having woken up soon after we left, and wasting no time in setting off to come rescue us.

Evans intent seemed obvious to them, yet Madoc was willing to comply with his demands if it meant we'd be set free. I tried to tell him that he shouldn't just give in. There were no guarantees that Evans would release us even after he got what he wanted.

“Don't worry,” he seemed to say. “We have a plan.”

I tried to believe him, to trust that he, Gareth and Blane had a plan that would work, but I felt so helpless tied to a chair with Evans eyes glued to me, that my usual faith in Madoc was not enough.

I closed my eyes again and must have slept a little, but it was a restless kind of sleep, partly because of our predicament and partly my position. When I opened my eyes I could see, even in the dark, that Simms had gone to bed, but Evans was still there and still quite awake.

“Why are you so keen on finding the Orb? What good would it do you?” I asked him.

“It will give me power, a bargaining chip for lots of money and the freedom to do whatever I want,” he replied, honestly I think.

“Then you don't plan on using it? Just to hold it over everyone's head as a threat that you could do harm with it?”

“What do you know about the Orb?” he asked rather than reply.

“About as much as everyone else. That it fell to earth the last time both moons were in the sky at the same time. That if it's found it can be used to make that happen again, but if it does, the world might very well explode,” I said. “I have a hard time believing that. If that was so, when it fell and both moons were on the same side of our world, it would have already exploded. But it didn't, so what would be the harm of it happening again?” It hadn't made any sense to me the first time I heard the stories, and still didn't.

“That doesn't matter,” Evans said. “What matters is what people believe it can do.”

I realized he was right. So he didn't want the Orb to use it, but rather as a way to threaten the leaders of the world. But I knew that didn't make him any less anxious to find it than anyone else. “Did someone put you up to this? To undermine the King and Queen of the East Islands?”

“Do you really think I'd tell you that?” he replied, and then was silent.

I wondered if it would help Madoc if he could 'listen in' on what Evans was saying, whether I could maintain contact with him while talking to my abductor. I reached out for his mind, suddenly realizing I no longer had to close my eyes to do that. When I felt his touch, I tried to allow him to see through my eyes, and hear through my ears, as I continued to talk to Evans and ask him questions that would reveal his intentions.

“Can't you release us if Master Madoc promises to help you? Does he actually have to find the Orb before you'll let Carys and me go?” I asked.

“Than he wouldn't have the incentive to actually do it, would he?” Evans said.

“And if he does find the Orb, what then? Will you allow us all to leave? Madoc too?”

“It will depend on whether any of you could be of use to me,” he replied again somewhat honestly.

Willis joined us at that point and said, “Boss, did you wanna grab some sleep? I can stay with the little lady.” He smiled his wolfish smile at me, but I frowned.

“I'm not sure I can trust you to keep your hands off her,” Evans said. “She needs to be untouched, understand?”

“She's not a princess like the other one. What does it matter?”

“It matters because I have a feeling it will make Madoc and the others very angry if she's harmed in any way before they arrive. I'm sure you can understand the difference between harming her and threatening to do so,” Evans explained.

“Yeah, yeah,” Willis said, dismissively. “OK. I won't touch her. Then again, maybe she'll wanna touch me. How about it, huh?” he asked leering at me again.

I wanted to say 'not on your life', but I didn't need him angry. “I'm sorry, sir, but you're not my type.”

He chuckled.

But Evans was not ready to leave me and Carys. “I'll have plenty of time to sleep after we find the Orb.”

“And how will you let Madoc know where you're keeping us?” I suddenly wondered.

“I'm sure he can guess. There aren't that many places in this town where we could be,” he replied. “But I'll have my men on the lookout for him to return and bring him here. Then we'll see what kind of cooperation we can get.”

I couldn't sleep any more, but it was soon daylight. When Simms woke and came in, Evans sent him with Willis to get us all some breakfast. The men seemed to have developed the same affinity for the cookies of Meecham as we all had. In addition, they brought cheese sandwiches. Meanwhile, Evans had Jones make us all some coffee and tea. There must have been some sort of kitchen in the building.

Carys was a little groggy when she woke, but a sandwich and some tea quickly revived her. “What are they going to do with us?” she whispered to me.

“They still plan to use us to force Madoc to find the Orb for them,” I replied. I was afraid to tell her that her brothers and mine had a plan, or that Madoc knew what was happening here.

As he'd said, Evans sent a couple of the men out to watch the road coming from the north and look for Madoc. Less than an hour later, they were back, and Madoc was with them. “There was no sign of the others,” Willis reported.

“Maybe they continued north,” Jones said.

Evans shook his head. “They wouldn't leave without the princess,” he guessed, then shrugged. “We'll worry about them later. Everyone gather your things. We're heading south.”

Madoc spoke for the first time. “Are you OK?” he asked me and Carys, and we nodded. He hadn't said anything to Evans, waiting for him to state his terms.

“You lead us to the Orb, and we'll let the ladies go,” Evans told him.

“You'll give me your surety on that?” Madoc asked. “If there is any harm done to them, you know I'll continue to refuse.”

“They've been well cared for up 'til now,” Evans swore.

His men had returned with packs and blankets. I guessed that meant we'd be riding south. But when they took us to where their horses were, Madoc seemed to come to a decision.

“Don't go south. The reason no one has found the Orb is that it's not there.”

Evans stared at him. “If you're trying to steer me in the wrong direction...” He let it hang, but the impression was there. If Madoc didn't comply we might all be killed.

 

Chapter 27.

“The Orb is southwest of here,” Madoc said. “In a small range of red sand hills.” He looked at Evans as if he was thinking about something. “If you will allow me to touch your mind, I can show you. Then you will know I'm not lying and you can release my sister and her friend.”

Evans stared back at him, contemplating.

“Don't fall for it,” Willis warned.

“And what do you think he'll do to my mind?” Evans retorted.

“He's a wizard. Who knows what he can do!”

But Evans seemed to trust that Madoc was telling him the truth. The sense I got from Madoc was to keep quiet, so I did. I didn't even try to find out what he was up to, just watched.

“All right,” Evans said. “Show me.”

Madoc stared more intently at him, and I could see the picture he was sending to Evans' mind. Red hills, with some tall trees at the base. “There are passes through the hills, and in one of the passes is a cave. The Orb is in the cave.”

I wasn't sure myself if I believed him, but it was possible. Evans seemed to accept it. “We go southwest,” he told his men.

“What about the women?” Madoc asked.

“They're coming with us. If you told the truth, I will let them go,” Evans replied. He mounted his horse with me riding behind him. Jones took Carys on his. Madoc was back on Willow.

We rode southwest as Madoc instructed. There was no road in this direction, not even a dirt path, just the ground with occasional small shrubs and trees. I wasn't sure how he knew where to go but soon we saw the red hills in the distance. They seemed fairly low until we got closer and saw how high they went.

It was a series of hills, with passes between them, just as he said. Without hesitation, Madoc picked one of the passes and guided Willow into it. We hadn't gotten far before he stopped suddenly, pointing to his right. Sure enough when we crowded around him we could see a small cave, less than the height of a man. I looked at Madoc's face but it was blank. Had he really taken Evans to the hiding place of the Crimson Orb? It still didn't seem like something he'd do. Wasn't he the one who'd scoffed at the idea of the Orb in the first place?

We all dismounted. “Stay here with the women,” Evans told Jones and Simms, then forced Madoc to enter the cave in front of him with Willis behind him. Whatever happened in the cave, I had a fighting chance of working on Jones and Simms to let me and Carys go.

Over a half hour later, they still weren't back. Jones was getting antsy, I think. “It shouldn't take that long to explore a small cave like that,” he said.

I began to reach out to convince him to go after the others and investigate. It seemed I didn't need much prodding. He was annoyed that he'd been left behind to guard me and Carys. I reinforced the thoughts by saying, “Maybe they found it and found another way out, leaving you here with us.”

“You're right,” he said. “Simms, you can handle the two fillies. I'm going to see what's happened to the others.”

I kept my face impassive, although I think Carys was wondering what I was up to. The minute Jones entered the cave, I began working on Simms. His brain was even more susceptible to suggestion. I planted the idea that Evans had told him to let us go after an hour. That hour was almost up. “Has it been an hour yet?” I asked out loud.

“Just about Miss,” Simms said.

“Then my friend and I can go, right?”

While he processed that, I told Carys to get up on one of the horses, and I mounted another.

“I guess it's time for you to go,” Simms said.

“Thank you,” I called back to him as Carys and I rode off. I had to believe that Madoc was all right in the cave with Evans and his men, and that his plan included a way for him to get away.

But I didn't have a plan for where we were going. If we went back to Meecham, Evans and his men might find us again. And yet, somehow, we needed to find our brothers, Rees and Colm. I tried to reach out to Blane but something prevented me from making contact.

“We shouldn't go far,” Carys said, bringing me out of my thoughts.

“Just far enough to keep Evans from finding us, but near enough that we can find Gareth and Blane.”

“And Madoc,” she added.

I smiled at her. Sometimes I forgot how plucky she was, and how intelligent. Meanwhile, a thought had occurred to me. Perhaps we could go back to Ada's, stay there until I could contact our brothers. I told Carys what I was thinking, but she had another suggestion.

“Even better than Ada's, since Evans may have learned we stayed there before, how about Rees' friend Letti?”

Didn't I just say how intelligent she was? “That's a wonderful idea.”

With that plan in mind, we rode back to Meecham as fast as we could. I just hoped we'd be able to find Letti's place again.

With only one wrong turn on the way, we found her house. She'd told us that she didn't have any rooms available, but then again, we didn't have any money for a room. We didn't even have our packs with us, just the ones on the horses we'd taken. Who knew what Evans and his men carried with them!

When we reached Letti's, we let the horses go. If we kept them, they might have led Evans and his men to us.

Letti didn't recognize us at first, but when we mentioned Rees her eyes lit up. “Is he still here in town?” she asked. “Ada said you'd left and I was angry and upset that I hadn't spent any time with him.”

“We're not sure where he is right now,” I said. “But I'm sure he'll turn up. He did want to see you.”

She smiled, then frowned. “I still don't have any rooms.”

“That's all right,” Carys said. “We just needed a place to stay for a little while.”

“Well, why don't you come have some tea with me and we can chat,” Letti said. “Have you had any luncheon yet?”

With all that had happened that morning, I'd completely forgotten about food. “No,” I replied.

“It's been hours since we've had breakfast,” Carys added.

Letti led us to a kitchen with a table and four chairs. There was a cold box in one corner and a wood stove in the other. A huge kettle sat on the stove, and next to it, a smaller one. Letti took out a teapot and a small box containing tea leaves, adding some to the pot before pouring water from the smaller kettle.

While the tea brewed, she made some sandwiches, and unwrapped some of what I was beginning to think of as Meecham cookies. My mouth began to water.

The sandwiches were made with a soft cheese and slices of a vegetable I hadn't had before. It was yellow and very moist inside with tiny seeds, slightly sweet. “These are very good,” I said after my second bite.

“One of the people staying here brought those from Gurstan,” Letti replied, pouring the tea and finally sitting down. “I've never seen them before. Have you?”

Our mouths were full so both Carys and I shook our heads. There were so many things we were experiencing and learning about. I just wished I wasn't so worried about Blane, Madoc, Gareth and the others so I could enjoy them more.

When I finished my sandwich, I eyed one of the cookies, but before I took one I asked, “Did you meet Rees when he was here before?”

“Oh, aye! A fine man he is,” Letti said, smiling at us. I wondered a bit about their relationship, but before I could ask her any more questions, one of the people staying at her house called for her. “I'll be right back!” she told us, and left.

“Have you been able to contact Blane or Madoc?” Carys asked when she was sure Letti was gone. “You're so much better at it than I am.”

“Not yet,” I replied. “But I think I'll try again now.” I concentrated on the feel of Blane's mind, and then on Madoc's. This time there was a faint connection with my brother, but nothing from Madoc. I tried to convey a picture of Letti's face to Blane so he would know where we were, but at the same time, I was worried that I couldn't reach Madoc. What had happened in that cave? Was he all right?

I kept remembering the odd feelings I had when he'd squeezed my shoulder, and complimented me on my progress the night before. And more than anything, I missed his presence the same way I had before we found him.

 

Chapter 28.

Letti returned to tell us that Ada had sent word that there'd already been inquiries about us, and to ask if Letti had seen me and Carys. Were Evans and his men already back in Meecham? That didn't bode well for Madoc or the others. Or had it been Blane, Gareth, Rees and Colm?

“Did she know the people who came asking?”

“Oh, aye! 'Twere Rees and his friends.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “What did you tell the messenger?” I asked.

“He's still here. What should I say?” Letti asked.

“Tell him to let them know we're here, of course,” Carys said.

“You're sure it was Rees, Gareth, Blane and Colm?” I asked Letti, but she just shrugged. I tried once more to contact Blane, and to ask whether that's where they were. The answer came back as a 'picture' of Ada. “OK. Yes, that'll be OK.”

Letti left again to tell the messenger.

“Did you just talk to Blane?” Carys asked. She'd been watching me carefully and I think she wished she'd tried to do the same.

“He's at Ada's. Hopefully they'll get here soon.”

I finally took a cookie and tried to eat it calmly, but I was anxious about what the men would tell us when they arrived. I hoped the news about Madoc would be good. But when they finally arrived about ten minutes later, I wasn't prepared for the fact that he was with them. A bit battered and bruised, and maybe even bloody too.

I rushed to him and threw my arms around his neck.

“Careful,” he said, but he was smiling, and put his left arm around me, too. “It's a bit tender here and here.” He indicated a spot on his ribs on the right side, as well as his right arm.

“What happened?” Carys asked.

“We were waiting for them in the cave, but they put up a good fight,” Gareth said.

“The hardest one to stop was Jones, believe it or not,” Blane said. He seemed exhilarated by the fight, though.

“We left them there without any horses,” Colm added.

“So the Orb wasn't in that cave?” I asked.

Madoc shook his head. “For all we know there really is no Crimson Orb. If there were, it would give off a very strong energy, and I haven't sensed it at all.”

“Nor I,” Blane concurred.

“Come to think of it, I didn't either when we were just outside the cave,” I said. It hadn't registered at the time what that meant.

“I just knew you wouldn't lead them to it!” Carys told Madoc, grinning at him.

“So that was your plan!” I said. “You know you really had us worried.”

“Well we didn't count on the two of you getting away on your own,” Blane said.

Carys grinned. “Nissa was fantastic!”

“I couldn't have done anything with Evans or even Willis, but Simms has the brain of a flea.”

“So you convinced him to let you go?” Blane asked.

I grinned. “I convinced him that what Evans told him meant that he should just send us on our way.”

“You were smart to go to Letti's,” Gareth said.

“That was Carys' idea. We didn't know if Evans was aware of where we'd stayed in Meecham, so we decided to avoid Ada's.”

Letti came in just then to ask what the men wanted to eat or drink. She was being very hospitable.

“I'll help you,” Rees said when she went to start another pot of tea and make more sandwiches.

“Now what?” I asked. “Are we leaving Meecham again? And how will we keep Evans off our trail?”

“They found us easily enough last time, but I have an idea,” Madoc said. “He may think we'd avoid going north again, but if we can convince him that we've gone that way, we could make a big swing to the west and then north through Holden.”

“Isn't that swampy?” Rees asked, setting a plate piled high with sandwiches on the table.

“Oh, aye, but it's better than going through the Frozen Tundra again,” Madoc said.

“We should leave as soon as we finish eating,” Gareth said.

“You're leaving again?” Letti asked. “So soon?”

“There are some bad men after us,” Carys explained. “We need to get away from them as quickly as possible.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked, wiping her hands on her apron.

The men explained what they wanted her to do. When they were finished, I asked, “What about our horses? Is Gallin with you?”

“He's at Tal's stable again,” Blane replied.

Letti gave us some food to take with us. When we left, Rees stayed behind for a few minutes alone with her. I knew they both wanted more, but it would have to wait for another time.

Gallin seemed happy to see me again when we arrived at the stable. Carys' horse Nutmeg was there, too. Rees joined us just as we were mounted and ready to go. We'd decided that we'd leave in groups of two and three, each going in a different direction, so that no one would be able to tell Evans where we went with any certainty.

Blane and I rode north again, while Carys and her brothers rode west. Rees and Colm went east for a short distance, then north across open fields for a while.

But an hour or so after we left Meecham, we all met up at a point northwest of the town. This was farm country. Narrow lanes criss-crossed the area leading from one farmstead to another. Cattle and horses grazed near each farm, and some of the places also seemed to raise chickens and pigs. The land didn't seem very arable. There were no corn or wheat fields, few fruit trees.

We rode on for hours, sometimes on the narrow lanes, sometimes over open land, toward a low range of gray hills. We knew that on the other side of those hills was Holden, which was mostly a swamp, and that it would be best to stop for the night before we reached it.

Drawings I'd seen before of swamps indicated very wet land with profusions of plants and a few low-growing trees. I didn't know any more about this one.

We reached the hills as the sun was setting. We stopped near a stand of pines and Blane and Colm gathered wood for a small fire. Letti had given us some fresh meat that we roasted with some vegetables on skewers made of twigs.

The ground was littered with fallen pine needles, soft and sweet-smelling. “Perhaps we should spend the night here,” I said. It would be softer than the hard rock further into the hills. We were finishing our meal with the last of the Meecham cookies. I wondered if we'd ever find any anywhere else. Perhaps Carys and I could figure out how they were made, and make our own once we were back at the manor. I was sure Cook wouldn't mind.

Carys smiled at my suggestion, and the men readily agreed, so we spread our blankets over the pine needles. We sat and talked for a while, mainly about what we'd find when we reached the swamp.

“The creatures who live there aren't too different from you and me,” Madoc said. “Except for the scales on their hands and feet, that is. But they're too busy fighting for their own survival to be bothered with attacking people who are passing through.”

“Do they really have scales?” Carys asked wide-eyed.

Her brother nodded. “The real danger in the swamp are the plants, the vines that tangle around feet, either human or horse, the flowers that give off toxic gases, and the trees that aren't rooted in anything solid and move at will.”

It was like the horror stories we used to tell around camp fires as kids, only this time it was real and we were willingly headed into it all.

“How do we protect ourselves from those plants?” Blane asked.

“With whatever weapons we have,” Gareth said, and surprisingly Madoc agreed.

We'd never really taken stock of what we had before. Gareth and his men had swords, of course, and we all had small knives, even Carys. Madoc had one too, which surprised me, but he said he'd taken it away from Jones when they left Evans and his men in the cave.

“What did you use to defeat the sea creature?” Colm asked me.

“Blane and I each used a kind of spear that they had on the ship,” I said.

“A harpoon, probably,” Rees said. “Yes, but you don't seem to have one of those in your possession at the moment.”

“I only have my bow and arrows,” I said. “And not many arrows, at that. I'm not sure what use they'd be to me in a fight.”

Rees took something out of one of his packs. “Can you use this?” he asked.

“What is it?” I took it from him. It seemed to be a Y-shaped twig with a band connecting the the upper ends of the Y.

“It's a sling shot,” he said. “The band stretches. You can put a small pebble or rock in it, pull it back and let fly.”

He showed me how it was done, using a boulder as his target. Soon I was able to do it almost as well as he did.

“Can I try?” Carys asked, surprising everyone. “I need to be able to defend myself,” she insisted.

So Rees showed her how to use the sling shot, too. He found an appropriate twig and took out another piece of stretchy material, quickly fashioning another sling shot so we'd each have one. Carys seemed to derive great satisfaction out of mastering this new weapon. I just hoped we wouldn't have to use them.

 

Chapter 29.

The Evening Moon was high in the sky by then. Gareth declared that it was time for us to get some sleep. After what happened when we went north, it was decided that Madoc would take first watch, then Gareth would take over for him in a few hours. Rees would follow, then Blane, and finally Colm.

Once the others had wrapped themselves in their blankets on the pine needle-softened ground, I sat with Madoc for a while, talking quietly. Listening to his voice had always made me feel safer somehow. Mainly we talked about the moons and the stars, but I was curious about something.

“When you were in the cave, fighting Evans and his men, why couldn't I contact you?” I asked.

“He seemed to have some ability to read thoughts himself,” he replied. “Untrained and unfocused, but I didn't want him to know we were in contact that way.”

I nodded in understanding.

“I'm very glad Carys and you have become friends,” he said after a time.

“Your sister is wonderful,” I said. Then I smiled. “I think Blane thinks so too!”

“Yes, they do seem to have formed an attachment.” There was laughter in his voice.

“I think it's sweet. He's never had a girlfriend before.” I hugged my knees to me and stared into the night.

He was silent for a minute, then asked. “And you? You don't find Gareth or either of his men attractive?”

I hadn't really thought about it before. “Gareth is betrothed, isn't he? Your mother told me her name is Eala.”

“Yes, that's true. She 's the daughter of one of the nobles of the East Islands,” he said. “I don't know her well, but she seems to suit my brother.”

“And Rees, well, he's a little bit too old, and besides there's Letti and who knows how many others,” I said.

Madoc chuckled. “And Colm?” he prodded.

“I got the impression that he liked girls well enough, but...” I didn't know how to explain it. I'd only heard stories about men like that.

“You picked up on that, did you?” he asked with a funny kind of smile.

“Oh, aye.” But we were getting too personal. I couldn't tell him that there was someone I was attracted to, and especially that it was he, so I changed the topic entirely. “Madoc, there's something else I've been meaning to ask you about.”

I got up and went back to my packs, pulling out the three books I'd been carrying, and bringing them back to where he sat. “We found these on the table in your rooms, and thought they might help us find you. But we couldn't read the writing in these two, and the star charts in this one were very strange.” I waited for him to look at them and explain. I hoped he wouldn't be angry that we took them.

Finally he nodded. “A traveler from the north brought these. He had no use for them and was happy to take a blanket and a water flask in exchange.”

“The machines in this one,” I tapped one of the two in the strange language, “did they give you the ideas for some of the machines you had built for your father?”

He smiled at me. “I knew you were a smart one! Yes. I still can't read the writing, but the diagrams are quite clear.” He opened to a page that seemed to have been read several times. “This is a type of communication device.” He rifled through the book, stopping again at a very different picture, “and this is a sort of motor.”

“Like the one on the ship we sailed on from Fairhaven to East Harbor.” I nodded.

“Maybe some day I'll travel north and find the people who wrote this and devised these machines,” he said.

I hoped when he did I could go with him. “Well, I think I'll get some sleep. See you in the morning,” I said, getting up and taking my blanket with me. “I'll leave the books with you,” I said. “They are yours after all.”

I knew he was watching me, and thinking about everything we talked about. I also knew that he'd do anything to prevent anyone from taking me or Carys again. But I was sure he still thought of me as the girl he'd taught the basics of magic, not the young woman I'd become. I went to sleep, dreaming of what it would be like if he ever thought of me as a woman, a desirable woman to hold and kiss and...

I didn't wake until the sun was rising. It was quiet in our camp. Colm sat where Madoc had been when I went to sleep. I rose, pulling my cloak around me, and went to stir the fire, to get it burning hot enough to boil water for our breakfast tea.

Slowly but surely the others rose. We gathered around the fire again as I handed out bread and cheese, and a handful of berries each. We drank our tea, then made sure the horses had some water. They'd been munching on the small shrubs in the area during the night.

Soon we'd packed up our camp and mounted our horses, and were heading north, into the gray hills. “Do these have a name?” I asked.

“They're the Hills of Sorrows because many who passed through them found sorrow once they reached the other side,” Madoc replied. That sounded ominous.

The going wasn't too bad at first. The passes between the hills went upwards gradually to an open area almost at the center. Sparse brush and wildflowers grew here, undisturbed by wind or travelers. Before we left this mainly flat area we had a luncheon of dried meat and raw vegetables. Then we started down through the passes to the swamp.

I knew it would be damp in the swamp but I hadn't thought about the fact that it might be brutally hot. I'd removed my wool cloak as we left the last of the passes through the hills, but then I wished I could remove my blouse, too. Instead, I just pushed the sleeves as far up as they'd go and opened the top button. Before long, the fabric was sticking to my back. My long skirt wasn't any better.

The air was oppressively hot and sticky, and the ground was soft and squishy. At first the horses continued their steady progress, but soon it became more and more difficult. The vegetation grew thicker. Small shrubs and weeds competed with vines. I watched Madoc as he studied the ground ahead, and hoped there wouldn't be snakes.

“What do you see?” I asked.

“Stay away from those vines,” he warned, indicating some dark green ones off to the left. “And those berries are poisonous,” he said of the bushes on our left.

Soon the plants were so thick that the horses were finding it slow going. The ground was wetter, too, like a very shallow stream without a solid bottom. The insects were thick, biting insects and stinging ones. We swatted at them but it was no use. My blouse was no protection, even though I lowered the sleeves again to cover my arms.

Rees' horse was the first to falter, vines twisting around it's hooves and forelegs. He dismounted and started whacking at the vines with his sword. All of the men took out their swords and I fingered the few pebbles I'd collected in my skirt pockets. I wasn't sure how I could use the sling shot or my bow and arrows against vines, but I'd try if I had to. There was always my knife.

The horses were all fighting their way through the vines, and also some tall weeds that seemed to have sharp edges. I reached out with my mind, but unlike animals and humans, there wasn't a mind to bend, there was no way to use my thoughts to make the vines retreat.

Colm's horse went down, and then Blane's. The two men were able to land on their feet and immediately began slashing at the vines and weeds with their swords, following Rees' lead. I readied myself in case Gallin fell too, and at the same time I gave him reassuring thoughts, encouragement him to go on.

I was so busy trying to stay on my horse, and to help him maneuver through the swamp that I was no longer aware of what was happening to my companions. If anything the vines were becoming thicker and the weeds taller. I felt one brush my cheek and could feel a slight trickle of blood start. And then Gallin gave way underneath me. I fell but quickly scrambled to my feet, willing my horse to do the same. Without a sword to make my way through the foliage, with just a small knife, I was soon enveloped in it.

My feet were wet and my shoes slipped in the mud, and then I went down again, and couldn't get up. Vines twined around me, pulling downward. I sent thoughts out for help just before they pulled me under.

 

Chapter 30.

When I opened my eyes again, it was still daylight. I was lying on solid ground and completely dry. I lifted my head and looked around, at least as far as I could see from my prone position. Carys was lying next to me, her eyes closed and her breathing slow. On my other side, Madoc was sitting up. He stood when he saw I was awake and came closer. Without hesitation I sat up, then stood, too, and threw my arms around him, pressing my face into his chest, so glad that I was alive and so was he.

After a minute or two, he held me away from him and looked at my face. “Are you OK?” he asked with such worry in his voice that I was afraid I might cry.

I nodded, then started to look past him. I saw my brother lying on the other side of Carys and breathed a sigh of relief. “The others?”

“Gareth is over there,” he said, turning me so I could see him sitting up but looking dazed. “And Rees.” Like Carys and Blane, his eyes were closed and his body very still.

“What about Colm?” I asked.

Madoc swallowed. I could practically see the words forming in his mouth. “He...he didn't make it.”

My fist hit my mouth to stifle the gasp of horror. “What...what happened to him?”

“The vines held him under for too long.” He was having a hard time saying it.

Before I could ask any more questions, a woman came toward us. At least I thought it was a woman. She had the scaly hands and feet Madoc had described. Long dark hair hung down her back. Her face was very plain, as if the features weren't completely finished. No eyebrows or lashes, a thin mouth and a wide flat nose.

“Do you wish to see your companion?” she asked us. She spoke Learic but with a charming lilt.

Puzzled, I looked at Madoc. “I think she means Colm,” he said.

Blane was coming to, and Gareth had finally focused. The four of us followed the woman across barren but dry ground to a little tent-like structure nearby. She held open the flap and we went inside.

Inside was another one of the swamp inhabitants, a man this time, although he wore the same kind of floor-length green gown as the woman. In his case, however, there was a long, white tunic over it.

“You've come to see the deceased,” he stated with a single nod. With his hands clutched in front of him, he walked over to a low platform and we saw that Colm was laid out on it with a white sheet over him, covering everything but his face. He looked like he could be sleeping but it was somehow apparent that he wasn't. His face looked serene, at peace.

“Who are you?” Gareth asked the man.

“I am Nogle, Keeper of the Stone,” he replied. “Now that you are here to witness it, I may send his spirit on.” He reached into a recess in the wall behind the platform and pulled something out. Even in his hands, it gave out a rosy light, suffusing the walls of the tent with a pink glow.

“Our Sacred Stone will speed his spirit home to the Father of all things.”

Clearly, these people had a religion that believed in a supreme being, and that when someone died, their essence would be welcomed by that being for eternal sleep.

Gareth gasped when Nogle opened his hand to reveal his sacred stone, and Blane said, “So, it does exist!”

Suddenly Gareth began to laugh. I think it was a reaction to everything we'd been through because there was nothing funny about the situation. “All those people digging south of Meecham and it was here all along!” he said.

“I guess they were wrong about what it does, too,” I said, watching Nogle with it.

He put it over Colm's heart and said a few words in some strange language with lots of sibilants, then moved it to his forehead and repeated the words. “Your friend will now rest safely.” Nogle returned the Orb to its niche and came to bow to us.

“Uh, thank you,” I said, returning a bow. I thought that Colm's family would have wanted his body returned to them, but there was no way we could have taken him with us. But that thought reminded me of something. “What happened to our horses?” I asked Nogle.

“Five of your steeds were saved with you from the Choking Vines. They are in a safe place with your belongings.”

“Thank you again,” I said, bowing once more.

“You will soon be able to continue your travels,” said the woman who had brought us to Nogle's tent. Obviously they saved us from the vines but they didn't want us to stay. “But first you will share a meal with us. I am called Keko, and my people are the Yashi.”

We followed her out of the tent and I could now see we were on a small island in the middle of the swamp. Higher than the swamp itself, it was free of the dangerous plant life we'd encountered.

Carys and Rees were just opening their eyes and looked at us questioningly as we approached them.

“Where's Colm?” Rees immediately asked.

I looked to the men, hoping they'd explain what had happened to our friend. Gareth told Carys and Rees about Colm, rather hesitatingly, and leaving out the part about the Orb. Carys began to cry, but then she tried to get up and her right leg gave out from under her.

“Oh!” she said, sitting back down with a thud. “I seem to have twisted or even broken it!”

Our guide Keko had been joined by a man of their race, wearing the long green gown they seemed to favor. I hadn't seen any other Yashi but there had to be many more who'd helped them rescue us and our horses. “The Stone can fix it,” he said, turning and heading toward Nogle's place.

“The Stone?” Rees asked.

“It appears that the Crimson Orb has been here all this time,” Madoc told him. “And I gather it has some therapeutic properties.”

Rees' eyebrows shot up. He was as surprised as we all had been.

The man returned with Nogle who carried the stone in his two hands. Even out in the daylight the Orb gave out a rosy glow. It was quite spherical but I could see now that it wasn't smooth. Instead it looked like a crystal, a diamond perhaps or because of the color, a ruby. The light seemed to emanate from deep inside the stone. And I could feel a power of some kind, just as we'd expected.

“My sister has injured her leg,” Gareth told him. “Can you and your...Stone repair it?”

Nogle nodded once and approached Carys. He knelt down to where she sat, holding the Orb over her ankle, then moving it up along her entire leg. He smiled at her and told her to try to stand on it.

Blane and Madoc each lent her an arm to help her up, and she stood. Her eyes widened and she smiled.

“That was amazing!” she said.

“I will bring the food,” the woman said. “Come Haru.” The man followed her. They walked to the edge of the swamp, removed their gowns, and, completely naked, walked in, disappearing from sight. I was beginning to wonder what they ate, and what they'd bring us.

We soon found out. The woman and man returned with three others carrying an assortment of uncooked fruits, vegetables and fish. They used long thin knives to slice them all and served the food to us on pieces of seaweed.

I looked at Madoc sending a silent question, 'Is any of this poisonous to us?'

He answered by taking some of it in his fingers and putting it in his mouth, smiling at the Yashi who'd prepared it.

I followed suit. Of course I'd eaten fruits and vegetables raw in the past, but never any seafood. It had a different texture from anything I'd ever eaten, but it was quite tasty. One by one, the members of our party joined us. There were some things I liked and some I didn't, but enough tasty food to fill me.

When we were finished, our servers retrieved what was left. “Would you like to take any of this with you?” Keko asked.

I didn't know what of our stores was left or even edible after our ordeal in the swamp, so I replied, “Thank you. We'd like that.”

They wrapped it all up in seaweed and then we walked to the enclosure where the five remaining horses waited for us. I was happy to see that Gallin was among them. They'd been fed and watered, too. The missing horses were Colm's and Carys'. Most of our packs were there and we added the food we'd just been given.

We thanked the Yashi people for their hospitality and even more for saving us. I still regretted that we'd have to leave Colm behind, but there wasn't much we could do about it. We'd miss him, all of us.

Three of the Yashi took us to the edge of the swamp. There, a large raft waited, big enough for us, our animals and the three of them.

“We will take you across the swamp, to the far shore,” one said. I think it was Haru, but it was hard to distinguish among them.

They maneuvered the raft through the plants of the swamp, and brought us safely to dry land. There we said our final 'goodbyes' and once more thanked them. I doubted we'd ever see them again.

 

Chapter 31.

There was no road, not even a path for us to follow north, but Madoc seemed to have an unerring sense of the direction we should go. There was some discussion as to who would take Carys on their horse, since there were now six of us and only five horses.

I offered to take her on Gallin with me, but then so did her brothers, and mine. In the end she chose Blane, and I wasn't very surprised. I don't think anyone was.

I knew after our ordeal in the swamp we wouldn't be going far before we camped for the night. After an hour of riding we could see the sun starting to set in the west. We were all rather subdued. I was thinking about Colm and I expected the others were, too.

But the only one who said anything was Gareth. “I don't know how I'm going to tell Colm's family about what happened to him.”

None of us had any suggestions. How do you break news like that? We continued to ride.

After a half hour of silence, save for the sound of the horses hooves on the hard ground, Madoc said. “There's another range of mountains ahead, maybe another hour away. We can stop in the foothills rather than try to get through them tonight.”

Everyone agreed that would be a good plan, and we continued on. The horses seemed rested after their stay on the island in the middle of the swamp, but they'd been through the same ordeal we had. One more hour might be their limit.

As we neared the mountains we saw that they were higher than they'd looked from far away. We'd have to find passes through them. There still was no road, but the ground for the past hour had been sparsely covered with low plants and the going had been relatively easy. Before we reached the mountains, we crossed a small fast-flowing stream. It seemed to be coming from the hills ahead.

We had plenty of water but we let the horses drink from the stream before going the last half hour to where the land sloped upwards and the trees grew more thickly. We stopped just beyond the first line of trees in a clearing large enough to set up camp. Blane and Gareth built a fire with fallen branches right in the center of the clearing, and Carys and I unpacked some of our food.

“I bet that fish would taste even better cooked,” she said, pointing to the seaweed wrapped fish we'd gotten from the Yashi.

I nodded and found some long twigs on the ground nearby. Using my knife to peel the bark, I fashioned six skewers and threaded fish and vegetables on them, then handed one to each of the men. “You can cook this to your liking over the fire,” I suggested. Carys and I did the same with ours.

One skewer didn't seem to be enough for each of the men, so I gave them each another, while Carys and I contented ourselves with the last of our berries. Rees had a skin full of ale which he shared with the other men, and I made a pot of tea for anyone who wanted it.

After we ate, we continued to sit around the fire. Gareth broached a subject that probably all of us had been contemplating during our ride. “What are we going to do about the Orb?”

“Do?” Madoc repeated. “We shouldn't do anything. The Yashi have it. No one should take it away from them.”

“But you saw how it healed Carys' leg. That could be very useful to the world,” Gareth argued.

Rees nodded. “And besides, if we don't say anything, there'll be people searching for it in the wrong place forever. Who knows how many will die in the attempt.”

“But can you imagine how it would affect the Yashi to be overrun with humans looking for it?” I asked. “We owe them our lives. I don't think we should take their way of life away from them, and that's what would happen.”

“I just wonder how it works,” Blane said. “I wish we would have had time to study it.”

“Nogle seemed to have some idea of what it could do, although I do wonder at the Yashi's religious use of it,” Madoc said. “I still think we should leave it with them.”

I knew it was an ethical decision we had to make, and that we all had to agree before we reached civilization again.

“Well, we don't have to resolve this tonight,” Gareth said. “Morning will be soon enough.”

Madoc nodded. “We should get some sleep.” He and the other men worked out a watch schedule. I wanted to offer to take a turn, but I knew that, even though they accepted some of the things I could do, they'd never let me stay up alone, guarding our camp from anyone or anything.

So I rolled myself in my blankets and fell asleep. I'd had some strange dreams during this journey, but the one I had that night was one of the strangest. It began with Nogle handing me the Orb. The rest of the dream consisted of various people trying to get it away from me, people we'd met over the past few weeks.

That part of it was straightforward, not easy, but at least it made sense. What didn't was the way possession of the stone gave me powers I didn't have before. I could send bolts of lightning from the tips of my fingers, bore holes in rock with my eyes, and even fly through the air. But it felt wrong somehow. Wrong to have the Orb. It belonged to the Yashi. Wrong to have the powers. I wasn't normal anymore. Granted, with my knowledge about the forces between things and my experience using it, maybe I wasn't normal anyway. But that seemed more natural than the powers from the Orb.

And then came the part where I used the powers to kill someone who was trying to take the Orb away from me, and I woke up, trembling and sobbing.

My eyes scanned our campsite and I saw Madoc sitting up, staring out into the night. The Evening Moon was just setting, so it wasn't very late. I stood, wrapping a blanket around me, and slipped on my shoes, walking to where he sat. He turned and watched me approach.

“What's wrong?” he asked.

I sat down next to him cross-legged, and he put a comforting arm around me. I sighed. “I had a dream.”

He waited quietly. He had a way of leaving open silences that you wanted to fill with confidences.

“I was the keeper of the stone,” I began and then told him all I remembered about my dream, finishing with, “And then I killed a man who was trying to get it. Brutally, with the power the Orb gave me.” I couldn't stop the sobs that accompanied my confession.

“Oh, my dearest Nissa.” He pulled me closer still and kissed the top of my head.

“I'm so afraid that it could turn me into a murderer.”

“It will never happen,” he said, shaking his head. “You don't have it in you, and no outside force could make you do something you wouldn't do without it.”

“How do you know?” I asked. “What about the sea monster I slayed? The small animals I killed with my bow and arrows?”

He gave that some thought. I was pleased that he didn't dismiss it. “Yes, that's true. But the ruda was about to wreck the boat you were on, and you killed those animals for food. Then when you encountered the Ice Bear on the Tundra, you found another way to defeat it, to avoid taking a life.”

“How do I know that I wouldn't kill someone someday?” I insisted. “To save my life or protect the Orb or something else, someone else?”

“Narissa Day, I know your heart and your mind, and I know what you're capable of,” he said. “You'd find a way to protect yourself and anyone else without resorting to violence. And as to the Orb and what powers it gives its possessor, did Nogle appear to be able to do what you did in your dream?”

“Not that we saw. But who knows how much practice he's had in dealing with the forces of the Orb?” I argued.

“I expect quite a lot. He's been the Keeper of the Stone for a long time.”

“Did you try to sense what the Orb could do, what energies were in it?” I asked. “The glow inside it was very strong.”

He nodded slightly. “It is very powerful, but all of the power within it is good. There's a reason he used it to heal.”

“Still, if anyone finds out where it is, they will descend on the swamp, like they have on Meecham, to try to get it, won't they? They won't understand what it is, or how it works, only the tales that have been told about it, well, forever.”

“And that's why we can never tell,” he said.

“How do we convince Gareth and Rees?” I asked. “They seem to think everyone should know.”

He was still pondering that when Gareth came to take over the watch duties. The Evening Moon was long gone and the Second Moon part way up the sky. Gareth looked at us, Madoc's arms around me, but didn't say anything about it.

Madoc let go of me and stood up. “I think I'll get some sleep. You should too, Nissa,” he told me, and I nodded, going back to the spot where my other blanket and my pack still lay. Madoc stretched out beside me and his presence gave me the comfort I needed to fall into a dreamless sleep.

 

Chapter 32.

In the morning, everyone seemed refreshed, even the horses. We ate some bread and cheese, although I was becoming bored with our limited diet. I longed for the food at the manor, even what we'd had on the Flying Dragon, although I had to cook it. For a change, I offered everyone some nuts we'd gotten in Meecham, along with the usual tea.

“Oh, I almost forgot I had this,” Carys said, taking a jar of jam from one of her packs. “Ada gave it to me before we left her house.”

It was made from the burce fruits, mixed with a little berry juice to give it a tang, and went well with the heavy dry bread we had.

The horses got a couple of root vegetables each before we loaded our packs again and remounted. The pass into the mountains was not very steep but more treacherous than it looked at first. It was clear that this pass was little used and for good reason.

At times we had to go single file between the steep rocks of the mountain, and we never knew what we'd find around every turn. About half-way through, we came upon a high meadow, flat enough to make a good resting place. There we stopped briefly for luncheon.

As Carys and I made sandwiches, the men chatted about the way ahead of us. No one had mentioned the Orb, but I knew it was on everyone's mind. We still had to come to an agreement on whether we'd say anything about it, but I was more and more convinced that it should be left where it was, and that no one should be told.

Suddenly Carys stopped what she was doing. “What day is it today?” she asked.

“The twenty-second day of Spring,” I said. I don't know why, but I always kept track of the days of the year.

She grinned. “It's my birthday tomorrow!”

“So it is,” Gareth said. “We shall have to find a way to celebrate.”

I didn't know what we could do out here in the wilderness to celebrate a birthday, but I began to think about what I could make for my friend. A present was out of the question. Or was it? I thought about everything I had with me. I'd given some of my hair pins to Lyra in gratitude for her hospitality and I hadn't brought anything else with me that a princess like Carys would like. Maybe I could find something in the hills around us. And certainly we could have a somewhat festive meal, although birthday cake would have to wait until we reached a town possessing a bakery. We didn't even have any Meecham cookies left.

We finished our luncheon and began to clean up. I took stock of our food stores, hoping they'd last until we reached a town where we could replenish them. We hadn't even seen a fruit tree or berry bush since we left the Yashi.

As we rode on, Madoc pulled up beside me. “You look worried about something,” he said.

“We're beginning to run out of food,” I said. “Even with the food the Yashi gave us.” Maybe he'd have an idea.

“I expected as much. Our companions have a healthy appetite. I've been looking for edible plants since we started into the mountains this morning.”

“And water. The Yashi filled our flasks, but if we don't find a sweet water stream soon, we'll run out.”

Neither of us had heard Rees come up to us. “Can't you turn rocks into water or food, Master Madoc?” he asked. “Or at least call forth some rain that we can collect as it falls?” He was one of those people who think that, being a wizard, he could make things appear when we needed them. We hadn't convinced him yet that it doesn't work that way.

“I wish that were true,” he said, although it seemed to have given him an idea. “I might be able to discern where there is an underground stream.” He seemed to be looking at the ground ahead of us and to concentrate really hard. I had questions for him but I didn't want to interrupt that concentration.

But it was Blane who found a small patch of grass that indicated a source of water nearby. I knew that the horses were good at locating something to eat and drink, so I sent a thought to Gallin to look.

Suddenly, Madoc reined in his horse and stopped. “To the right,” he said, and the rest of us followed him in that direction. Not far away we saw it, a trickle of water bubbling out of an outcropping of rock and then running down and into the ground.

“There has to be an underground spring nearby,” Gareth said. We spent the next half hour looking for some indication of where the spring was, or a way to access it, to no avail. All we could do was refill our flasks from the trickle we'd found, and then go on.

The rocks finally gave way to rolling grassy hills. We stopped again so the horses could graze. Gareth and Rees dismounted and went off to explore. We soon heard their shouts.

We rode towards them. The hills weren't high, but high enough that we couldn't see over them. Just over the next one they'd found a stream, and by it, a small fruit tree. We dismounted and immediately began to pick the apples from the tree, some for us and some for our horses.

“See here, what do you think you're doing?” a strange voice called to us. We all turned towards it and saw a very tall, very thin man with shoulder-length black hair and a thin mustache astride a pale-colored mare.

“I beg your pardon, sir,” Carys said, curtsying to him. “Is this your tree? We didn't mean to trespass.”

“I should hope not. Those aren't just ordinary apples, you know,” he said. “Those are Royal Apples.”

“Royal Apples?” I wondered aloud. I never knew there were such things.

“Yes, of course!” the man said.

“Do you have to be a 'royal' to eat them?” Gareth asked. There was a bit of a chuckle in his voice. “Any particular royalty?”

The man narrowed his eyes at Gareth, then looked closely at the rest of us. “And who are you?”

Gareth stood as tall as he could, and in an imperious voice he said, “I'm Prince Gareth of the East Islands, the dark haired woman is my sister, Princess Carys, and that is my brother, Prince Madoc. The others are our friends and traveling companions.”

“And who might you be?” Madoc asked.

The man sniffed and stood taller still in his saddle. “I am the arborist for Lord Graham,” he announced.

“Arborist?” Blane wondered aloud. “There's only one tree!”

“The orchard is over the next hill,” the arborist informed us.

“And these are Lord Graham's lands?” I asked. “We met him in Holmdale almost two years ago.” I looked at my brother and Madoc who nodded their agreement.

“Is that so? Then, perhaps he will vouch for you,” the man said. “You will follow me to the Keep,” he told us and started off.

We quickly mounted and followed him. When we reached the orchard we saw it was quite large, full of apple and pear trees, and others I didn't recognize. And beyond it was a great keep. Maybe not as grand as the Citadel in Fairhaven, but much more substantial than the manor and the lands around it.

There wasn't a moat or anything like that, but there were enormous iron gates providing the only entry through an encircling high stone fence. Four guards in uniforms marched in front of the closed gates. They saluted the arborist as he approached. “Master Godfrey, you seek entrance to the Keep?” one of them asked formally.

“Yes I do, and I bring visitors.”

Well, at least he didn't refer to us as apple thieves. Two of the guards pulled open the gates and stood back as we rode through with arborist Godfrey. Once beyond the entry we could see the house. Large and made of stone like the enclosure, it looked like a fortress. There weren't many people in the forecourt, which was paved with more stone.

We dismounted again, and Godfrey went directly to the doors of the house, where he used a knocker in the form of a lion's head. Brass I think.

The door was opened by a short man in a uniform, not the military uniform of the guards, but something more elaborate.

“Forbes, please tell Lord Graham we have visitors,” Godfrey told him.

Forbes held the door open so we could enter. The inside of the house was quite grand, and I was reminded of the way Lord Graham had dressed when he'd visited Duke Alec. The ceilings were high and the walls, smoothly finished, were adorned with framed portraits.

“You may take the visitors to the morning room,” Forbes told Godfrey before doing an about-face and heading to the back of the house.

Godfrey indicated that we should enter the first room on the right. Like the drawing room at the Citadel, it was furnished with upholstered couches and chairs and, in front of a window, a small table surrounded by dining chairs.

Forbes soon entered, along with a young man leading Lord Graham. He'd aged considerably since we last saw him and used a cane to walk. He sat down in the first upholstered chair he came to and Godfrey told us, “You may be seated, as well.”

“Lord Graham, these young people claim to be royalty from the East Islands,” Godfrey told him, his doubt apparent.

The older man seemed to study us, but it was obvious that it was with sightless eyes. If he couldn't see us, how could we convince him of who we were? And what would they do if they didn't believe us?

“Lord Graham, we met you two years ago at Holm Manor,” Madoc said, taking the lead. He was studying the man's face and I sensed him sending an image of himself, and then of Blane and myself, not as we looked now, but as we appeared to him two years before. Was that how he pictured me? I never thought of myself as that pretty!

“Yes, I remember you,” Lord Graham said.

“My Lord, how can you be so sure?” the young man with him questioned.

The older man ignored him. “You are Duke Alec's wizard are you not? And two of your companions are children of the swordmaster in Holmdale.”

“Yes, sir,” Madoc said. “But I think you know that I am also the third son of the King of the East Islands. The others in our party are my brother Gareth and sister Carys, and one of Gareth's men, Rees Griffid.”

“But what are you doing here?” Lord Graham asked us. “Have you come from Holmdale? Or perhaps from Fairhaven?”

“We started in those places, but we've been...traveling,” Madoc replied.

“You've not been to Meecham, have you? With all of those fools seeking the Crimson Orb?” the young man sneered. He was rather annoying.

“We've been there,” Gareth admitted, “but not to look for the Orb.”

“Has it been found?” Lord Graham asked.

“There is no Orb in Meecham,” Madoc said. I hoped neither Rees nor Gareth would say anything about where it was, but evidently they'd come to agree with us to keep silent about it.

“And now where do you travel?” the lord asked.

“We're on our way back to Holmdale,” Madoc replied. Well, at least some of us were.

“A long way yet to travel. You'll stay the night. Forbes will show you to rooms, and you'll join us for dinner,” Lord Graham ordered. I had the feeling he always got his way.

 

Chapter 33.

I was glad that we'd have a place to sleep, indoors, hopefully in a comfortable bed. And I was beginning to appreciate any time I could eat a meal I didn't have to cook myself. “Lord Graham,” I spoke up. “Tomorrow is Princess Carys' birthday. Do you suppose we could have a cake for her this evening?”

Madoc smiled at me and together we 'sent' Lord Graham a picture of Carys, her dark hair and eyes, and her lovely pale face.

“Most certainly!” he replied. “Forbes, have Cook and her staff make it so!”

“Of course, my Lord,” Forbes said with a little bow. “Come this way and I'll show you to your rooms,” he told us.

He took us down a long hallway. There were niches in the walls holding small statues, and lit sconces every few feet. The hallway went on for a long time. Every once in a while he'd stop at a closed door and tell one of us to use that room. I wondered who used all of the other rooms in the Keep.

As Forbes let me into one of the beautifully furnished rooms, he looked up and down at my travel-dusty skirt and blouse and told me, “Please feel free to wear any of the clothes in the cupboard. You may use the bathing room as well.” He obviously wasn't just giving me permission but telling me that I should make use of the facilities. I didn't mind at all.

The room was big but was filled with several large pieces of ornate furniture, including a bed with tall posts at each corner. The cupboard Forbes had mentioned was tall too, with two doors, and hanging inside were several very pretty dresses. I wondered who they belonged to. The bathing room appeared to be just for the use of the occupant of this room. There was a basin on a pedestal, and two spigots with pumps attached. When I tried them I found that one produced a stream of very warm water and the other cold.

A good sized tub was also provided with spigots and pumps. Cakes of soap and soft washing cloths waited on a little stand and nearby there were two large pieces of toweling, folded neatly over a chair.

I quickly stripped off my clothes as the tub filled with water, and then, taking the soap and a cloth, I climbed in. It felt wonderful! It had been a while since I'd been able to bathe properly! The best was at the Citadel, but even that was a bit hurried. I would have loved to stay in the tub forever, or at least until my fingers turned pruney, but I knew I had to ready myself for dinner.

I climbed out of the tub and used the toweling to dry myself before beginning to dress again. There was one dress in the cupboard that really appealed to me, not as fancy as the others, it was a light blue, with a bit of white lace around the neckline and at the ends of the sleeves, and darker blue ribbon laced through here and there. Wonder of wonders, it fit me, although it was a bit short. But I was used to that, being taller than most women.

I brushed out my damp hair, and found a hair ribbon similar in color to the ones in the dress, so I tied it up. I felt fresh and clean, and rather pretty, but I just had a small hand-mirror made of glass in a silver frame, so I couldn't be sure I looked more than just presentable.

I walked out into the hall, thinking that, if I returned down it the direction we came, I'd find someone who'd tell me where to go for dinner. The first person I met, though, was my brother, exiting the room he'd been given. He'd also taken advantage of the facilities and borrowed some clothes. He looked quite handsome, his blond hair shining!

“Do you have any idea where we're to go?” I asked him. “What?”

He was looking at me with a speculative look. “You look fantastic!” he finally said.

I know I blushed as I curtsied to him and said, “Thank you, kind sir. You do too.”

But his face quickly clouded over.

“What's wrong?” I asked him.

He looked at me, hesitating, but finally he said, “I've been thinking. We'll be home soon.”

“Yes, we will,” I agreed, but then I began to realize what was bothering him. “You don't want this trip to end, do you?”

“Nissa, I'm in love with Carys.”

I smiled at him. “Well, that was obvious.”

“Yes, but don't you see? Nothing can come of it. I'll go home to Holmdale, back to sword play with the Duke's sons and Donal and the rest, and she'll return to the Citadel in Fairhaven. I may never even see her again!”

“Not necessarily,” I said. “If you really love her, you're old enough to ask her to marry you.”

“I'm the son of a swordmaster. She's a princess. A real honest-to-goodness princess!”

“And why is that a problem?” I asked. “She loves you, too, you know. And her family likes you, well, Gareth and Madoc do, at least. But I think her parents do, too.” I knew there were people who believed in class differences, but I didn't think the King and Queen of the East Islands were among them.

“Not enough to let me marry her,” he moaned.

I thought about that, then started to frown myself. “You have a better chance than I do to marry the person you love,” I said.

“To marry Madoc, you mean?” he asked.

“I thought you were so wrapped up in Carys that you hadn't noticed.”

“Nissa, you've been in love with him forever!”

I blushed then. “But it's hopeless, you know. He's not just a prince, he's a wizard. And he's older than I am, quite a bit.”

“A wizard who cares about you more than anyone. And he's not that old. You should tell him how you feel.” It was his turn to encourage me.

“I can't do that!”

“Why not? You might be surprised at how he'll react,” he said. “You must admit that it's obvious he cares about you.”

Just then Forbes came towards us. “Where are the others?” he asked.

“Still in their rooms, I expect,” I replied.

He knocked at each door, and called out, “Dinner is served in ten minutes.”

One after another, the other members of our party joined us. The first to appear was Carys. The dress she'd chosen, yellow with white lace and embroidery, was lovely on her, and my brother's mouth fell open at the sight of her. When they joined us, Madoc, Gareth and Rees all looked very handsome. In fact, I had a hard time keeping my eyes off Madoc, tall and more regal looking than I'd ever seen him.

I rarely think about Madoc's looks. His dark hair and eyes and pale skin are so familiar to me, but he is quite as handsome as his brother or mine. Maybe it's the intelligence in his eyes, the high cheekbones, the strong chin.

Forbes took us to a huge dining room with a table as long as some of the trestle tables at the manor, but much more elegant. It was set with fine white dinnerware and what looked like silver cutlery. The table linens were embroidered by a fine hand. I could appreciate what it must have taken to do all of that.

We stood, waiting for someone to tell us where we were to sit. Standing next to me, Madoc smiled and said, “That dress suits you.” I think I blushed.

I wondered who else would be joining the six of us besides Lord Graham and perhaps the young man who'd been with him before. The two of them appeared in the doorway, accompanied by an older woman.

“You're all here already,” she said beaming at us. “I'm Mara, Lady Graham, that is, and of course you've met my husband Sir Percy, and my nephew, dear Cedric.” She turned her smiling face to the young man. Obviously she was very fond of him. “Please take any seat. That is, any one but the head of table, of course!” She actually giggled at that.

Lord Graham took that seat, and the rest of us pulled out the nearest chair. He was wearing the same elegant clothing he had on earlier, and so was Cedric. Lady Graham's dress was similar to the ones I'd dismissed as too frilly, but they seemed to suit her.

“The two young ladies are quite as lovely as Cedric told me,” she told her husband. “Your highness, I am so pleased that you grace us with your presence,” she said to Carys. “Aren't we, dear Cedric?”

I was beginning to get an inkling of what she had in mind. I could see that Blane was, too. His face looked like a storm cloud, so I sent him a quick message, 'Carys loves you, no one else.' But I'm sure he was thinking about the fact that Cedric was of a higher class, and and that Carys' parents might think he was a preferable future husband for their daughter.

But now Lady Graham moved on to Madoc. “My husband tells me that you are Duke Alec's wizard, Prince Madoc,” she began as the staff served us soup (watery with few pieces of meat and vegetables in it but very tasty).

“Yes, I am,” Madoc said.

“Well, perhaps while you're here you will see what you can do for us.”

“I doubt he does parlor tricks, Aunt,” Cedric said.

She smiled indulgently at him. “I was thinking more in terms of healing your uncle, dear Cedric.” If she called him that one more time, I thought I'd scream.

Madoc and I exchanged a look. “What happened to him?” I dared to ask. “Lord Graham's sight was perfect when last we met him.”

“Six months ago, Percy became ill. The usual winter catarrh, we thought. But after he recovered from that malady, his sight began to fail. Dear Cedric came to help us. We have no children of our own, you see.” She suddenly looked very sad, but quickly hid it.

“After dinner, I will see what I can do,” Madoc told her. “Perhaps with Nissa's help.”

That gave me the opening to ask, “What did your healers say?”

“That it was an unexpected consequence of his ailment, and that they had no cure for it,” she replied.

“So what makes you think Madoc has one?” Gareth asked.

“I could be wrong, but I believe your brother is a much more accomplished wizard than any of ours,” Lady Graham replied.

I happened to agree with her and I hadn't even met their wizards and healers, but I didn't say anything.

 

Chapter 34.

Our soup plates were removed and replaced with plates covered from edge to edge with a piece of roasted meat, potatoes, cooked vegetables, and slices of a green fruit or vegetable I didn't recognize.

The matter of Madoc trying to heal Lord Percy Graham settled, Lady Graham turned back to Carys. “I understand tomorrow is your birthday, your highness.”

“Oh, call me Carys, please!” she replied with a smile. “Yes it is.”

“And how old will you be, your...Carys?”

“Eighteen, Lady Graham.”

“Well, we shall have to celebrate that milestone this evening,” Lady Graham said.

“Cook has been asked to bake a cake,” Cedric told her, as if that was enough.

“But we should also have music, don't you think?” Lady Graham asked, not expecting anyone to deny her.

“That would be lovely!” Carys told her. I know she hadn't expected to be celebrating her birthday while we were on the road.

“Blane plays a fine gemshorn, does he not?” Lord Graham remembered from his visit to the manor.

My brother blushed, but didn't deny it.

“Then he can join our musicians,” Lady Graham said, smiling. “We shall have a merry time.”

“I...I don't have my instrument with me,” Blane finally said.

“I'm sure we can find one for you,” said Forbes. He'd been serving Lord Graham, who didn't really seem to need the help.

I wondered who else would be playing, since I'd only seen the arborist, Forbes, and the serving staff. A place like this would employ staff for all sorts of things, so perhaps some of them were musicians, too. Some how I didn't think Cedric would waste his time on music. I knew I'd find out soon enough. But first we had to finish dinner, which wasn't hard. The food was quite good, and I was hungrier than I'd thought. I ate everything on my plate, including the curious green vegetable slices.

Carys' cake was a marvel, huge and covered in white frosting with pink rosettes on the top and sides. The Graham's cook brought it out herself, and sliced it after we all wished Carys a wonderful birthday and year to come. Inside was a yellow cake that looked moist. I would have preferred chocolate myself, but Carys was overjoyed.

“It's almost too beautiful to eat!” she said. But then after her first bite of it she added, “But I wouldn't want to miss the wonderful taste.” She turned to the beaming cook. “Thank you so much!”

“My pleasure, your highness,” the cook said, curtsying, then served everyone else.

The cake was delicious, not too sweet and a wonderful end to an excellent meal. We all complimented the cook on everything she'd made us.

“If you have the time, could you show me a few kitchen tricks?” I asked her. She nodded her agreement.

Once dinner was done, we withdrew to an even larger room. Furniture was cleared from one end, and then the musicians came in. It turned out that Forbes was accomplished on a lute. As promised, he'd brought a gemshorn for Blane to play. One of the serving lads played a kind of harp, and an older man I hadn't seen before had an odd-looking flute.

Blane was familiar with some of the standard songs the other three knew, so he was able to play along with them. I recognized, “The Happy Cow” and “Spring is Flowering”. The music was very pleasant. It had been a while since I'd heard any.

Lord Graham was thoroughly enchanted by the songs. Occasionally you could hear him humming along. Lady Graham had arranged for Carys to sit next to her, with Cedric on Carys' other side. But Cedric seemed to be bored with the music and not at all interested in Carys. I saw that both Gareth and Madoc, sitting on either side of me, had also noticed that.

But Carys only had eyes for Blane. She'd been impressed with him before. Now she was seeing another side of him.

After an hour or so, the musicians put away their instruments and Lady Graham turned to Madoc. “You may attend my husband now,” she said.

I was certain he'd been thinking about Lord Graham's blindness and hoped he had some idea of what to do. I went with him and our hosts to still another room in the Keep.

Madoc had Lord Graham sit in a chair, and he looked carefully into each eye with a little magnifying glass he always seemed to have with him. Lady Graham and I stood watching until Madoc said, “Nissa, what have you learned about how the eyes work?”

As I told him what I knew, I was amazed at how much I remembered of what my mother had taught me about the eyes. But she hadn't said much about blindness, or ways to heal it.

“Sir Percy, your blindness does not appear to be caused by formation of a film over the part of the eye that sees,” Madoc told our patient. “I believe there is something in your system that is preventing you from seeing.”

“What did your healers administer when the catarrh was bad?” I asked. I knew some medicines and elixirs had harmful affects.

“They had me breath in a mixture of nasty stuff, but it worked,” Lord Graham replied.

“Could one of the elements of that have caused his blindness?” I asked Madoc, well aware that Lady Graham was watching and listening intently.

“Aye,” he replied. “Some healers use tormin root, but too much of it could cause loss of hearing. How is your hearing, sir?”

“My hearing's just fine,” Lord Graham replied. “But if this root you speak of caused other harm, can you do anything about it?”

Madoc thought for a few minutes and so did I. “Nissa, may I have a word with you, alone?” he asked, taking my hand and leading me away from Lord and Lady Graham.

“What do you propose to do?” I asked.

“Have you ever drawn poisons from a sick person or an injury?” he asked.

I shook my head. “I know how to do it, but never have.”

He nodded. “I'll do it, but I'll need your help.”

“Just tell me what to do.”

He smiled at me. “You are an excellent assistant.” He explained my part in what he planned. I only had one question, and he quickly satisfied me by answering it, then we returned to Lord and Lady Graham, who were talking quietly together.

“I was just telling my husband that I hadn't realized the young lady was also a wizard,” Lady Graham said.

“Maybe not a wizard, but I have had training as a healer,” I told her.

She and I both watched as Madoc put his hands on either side of Lord Graham's head. He closed his eyes to concentrate on what and where the poison was. My part was to keep my eyes wide open and send him messages of how Sir Percy was reacting to this treatment. But I was also curious about Lady Graham's reaction to what we were doing.

“Not tormin root,” Madoc said. “Bunch berries!”

I'd never heard of bunch berries, but obviously Madoc had, and I guessed they could be harmful to the eyes.

Lord Graham had hardly moved while Madoc worked, and neither had his wife. But the minute Madoc said 'bunch berries', Lady Graham gasped and put a hand to her mouth.

“What's wrong?” I asked her.

“Nothing,” she said, dismissing it. “Not a thing.”

I let Madoc know that she was lying, although I didn't know why. Madoc suddenly dropped his hands. “We'll need to use a poultice to draw out the poison. Lady Graham, please ask the cook to bring us some grease, a tablespoon of sugar or honey, a half cup of wine, a lemon, oh, and also a few of those muroons we had with dinner.”

“Of course,” she said and left us.

“Is that what those green things were?” I asked. “Muroons?”

“Yes,” Madoc replied.

“And you need them for the poultice?” I'd never heard of them nor of their use in healing.

“What? No. I just like them,” he said. “No, I'll make the poultice from the other ingredients.”

“And bunch berries?”

“People sometimes confuse them with other blackberries, but they can be highly poisonous, and are known to harm the eyes,” he said.

“You think I ate them by mistake?” Lord Graham asked.

Madoc and I exchanged a look, but also some thoughts on the matter. “It's very possible,” Madoc said to ease the lord's mind. We both knew that if the cook had used them instead of, say, blackberries or huckleberries, others would have been affected. And I still didn't know why Lady Graham had started upon hearing that bunch berries were to blame.

Lord Graham, however, was no fool. “Why didn't my wife lose her sight? She usually eats the same things I do.”

“Let's do what we can to help you, and then we'll see to how this happened,” I told him.

Lady Graham finally returned with the requested items. Cook was with her. She was wringing her hands.

“I never gave him bunch berries,” she said, undeniably upset.

“I'm sure you didn't,” I said, patting her shoulder as Madoc started to mix his concoction. She nodded and left, still looking very upset. I watched the way he mixed the bacon grease with the honey, then thinned the mixture with wine before squeezing in some lemon juice.

He stopped to eat a slice of muroon while the mixture set, then started to spread some of it on each of Lord Graham's eyes. “This will sting a little and will have to stay on for about ten minutes,” he told the lord, who nodded in understanding.

“Do you really think this will work?” Lady Graham asked.

“It should. But the poison has been working on his eyes for a while, so it may take several treatments to bring about a full recovery,” Madoc told her. He ate another slice of muroon, and held one out to me. I was happy to take it.

After about ten minutes, Madoc asked Sir Percy, “Any improvement?”

“Maybe I'm imagining it,” the lord said. “But it does seem a bit brighter.”

Madoc nodded and said, “That's a good sign. We'll try another treatment in half an hour or so.”

“Meanwhile, we've neglected our other visitors for far too long,” Lady Graham said. She led her husband back to the room where Gareth, Carys, Blane and Rees waited for us, and we followed. There was no sign of Cedric. “Where did my nephew go?” Lady Graham asked.

Gareth shrugged. “He said he had some important business to tend to.”

“You told us he came to help with Sir Percy after his vision failed,” Madoc said.

Lady Graham seemed to think about the sequence of events. “Cedric and his parents, my sister Dilla and her husband, Clive, visited us when Percy first became ill, but when he seemed to be improving, they left for home.”

“Where is 'home' exactly?” Gareth asked. I wondered if he was thinking the same thing Madoc and I were.

“They live all the way north in Dunswell,” she replied. “And when Percy's sight failed, Cedric came rushing back to help.”

“Had your sister and her family brought anything with them when they came to visit?” Rees asked.

“What? You can't think they gave Percy those bunch berries!” Was that what she'd feared when Madoc first brought them up?

“Mara, don't you remember? They had those candied dates I love so well,” Lord Graham interjected.

“Yes, yes they did. Dilla said it was Cedric's idea to bring them.” She seemed to breath a sigh of relief that they couldn't be connected to Lord Graham's poisoning.

“Candied dates? Do you still have any?” Madoc asked.

“I'm afraid I finished them, as well as the ones Cedric brought when he returned,” Lord Graham admitted. “I wouldn't let anyone else have any, either.”

“But those were dates,” Carys objected.

“The berries could have been used in the coating on them,” Madoc said, causing Lady Graham to gasp.

“I think I'd like to have a word with Cedric,” Gareth said, easily slipping into investigative mode. I'd come to appreciate how good he and his guards were at ferreting out information.

 

Chapter 35.

Lord Graham's people searched the grounds without turning up a sign of Cedric.

“I think it's safe to say he's gone,” Gareth surmised.

“Do you think he went back to Dunswell?” I asked.

“I doubt it, since that would be the first place anyone would look for him,” Madoc said.

“Perhaps he's joined the fortune seekers headed for Meecham,” Rees said, and we all laughed, even the lord and lady, although they didn't know what we did about the Orb. Cedric had made such a point of scoffing at the Orb seekers.

Soon, Madoc applied his salve to Lord Graham's eyes again, leaving it on for another ten minutes. Meanwhile I asked Lady Graham, as gently as possible, “Did you suspect that Cedric could possibly be the one who caused your husband's blindness?”

“No!” she shouted, then her voice softened. “Well, I did wonder about him.”

“But what would be his motive?” Carys asked.

“As I said before, Percy and I have no children...” Her voice broke. Taking a deep breath and letting it out, she went on. “We had two, a boy and a girl, but they...they died about five years ago.” She looked around at all of us. “Our son would have been your age, Princess, and our daughter two years younger.”

“So you have no heirs,” Blane was coming to the same conclusion as the rest of us. “And Cedric thought he'd inherit the Keep and all its lands.”

“Well, of course we would have made sure of that!” Lord Graham stated.

“But he became impatient,” Rees suggested.

“How would blinding Sir Percy have sped his inheritance?” Carys asked what we were all wondering.

“Maybe he thought the berries would kill his uncle,” Gareth proposed, and Lady Graham gasped, then tried to hide it.

“No!” she protested.

“He may have just believed that taking his sight would be enough to convince Sir Percy to allow him to take over control of the lands,” Madoc said.

“Well, he believed wrong!” the lord said. “And if he's the one responsible for this, I'll do more than disinherit him!”

The second treatment helped Lord Graham even more than the first. “I expect that by morning you'll be able to see, although not completely clearly,” Madoc told him.

“I thank thee, young man. And all the rest of you,” Lord Graham said.

“Do you think Cedric did this alone?” Carys asked. She hadn't said much before, but was obviously thinking things through. “I mean, where did he get the berries? Did he coat the dates himself?”

That gave us all something else to think about.

“I wonder if there was a woman involved,” I speculated, and everyone stared at me so I explained what I was thinking. “Lady Graham, you kept trying to interest him in Carys. She's not exactly ugly, in fact he told you himself how lovely he thought she is.” I saw Madoc and Gareth nod, encouraging me to go on, and Carys blushed. “If he was already involved with someone else, wouldn't that explain his behavior?” The rest nodded too.

“Do bunch berries grow in Dunswell?” Rees wondered aloud.

“I never heard of them before,” Blane replied.

“But you can find anything in Arris,” Madoc said.

“So you think he might have gotten them there?” Lord Graham asked.

“We still don't know for certain that Cedric was the one to poison you,” his wife replied. “Although it's beginning to seem likely.”

“So maybe he went to Arris,” Gareth said. “Especially if his accomplice is still there.”

“We'll be passing through there, won't we?” Rees asked.

“You've already done so much for me,” Lord Graham said. “I'll have my own men look into it. If Cedric is behind this, he'll pay,” he repeated.

“You must all be tired,” Lady Graham added. “I know I am. The events of this evening have been very wearying.”

We all agreed with her.

“Forbes informed me that you've been traveling for a fortnight or more. I can have our laundress see to your clothes if you'd like,” she offered.

We'd be back at the manor in less than two days, but it would be nice to have freshly cleaned clothes to wear for those days, and especially when we arrived in Holmdale. When Carys, Gareth, Blane and Rees withdrew to their assigned rooms, and Madoc took Lord Graham back to the room where he examined him earlier, I lingered with Lady Graham.

“Is it possible that Cedric has tried this before?” I asked her. I had my own ideas, but I wanted to hear what she had to say.

“I'm afraid that he had something to do with my children's deaths,” she said sadly. “When Prince Madoc first mentioned bunch berries, I remembered the treat he brought them a few days before they fell ill. They were some kind of berries covered in chocolate.”

All I could do was nod. She'd suffered enough.

The laundress collected our things, and promised to return them by morning. I found Carys waiting for me in my room. She wasn't quite ready to go to sleep, and neither was I. “Do you really think Cedric is to blame for Sir Percy's blindness?” she asked as soon as we sat down in the ornate chairs in my room.

“It looks that way. And running away only makes him seem more guilty,” I replied.

“I knew there was something strange about him from the beginning,” she said.

“Why? Because he was ignoring his aunt's efforts to interest him in you?” I asked with a smile. I'm sure she knew I was teasing her.

She had the modesty to blush. “Well, there was that, and I think your explanation fits. But he also seemed so cynical, so...superior. I don't know.” She shook her head.

But I did know what she meant. From the moment we'd met him, Cedric had given off an air of being above us all.

“What if we run into him in Arris?” she asked.

“It's a big town, almost as large as East Harbor or Fairhaven,” I told her. “The chances of seeing him are slight. Besides, I think we'll just stop for a meal and move on.”

“You don't think we should call on the King and Queen?” she asked.

I hadn't even thought of it, but of course, as visiting royalty, it was probably polite for her and her brothers to do that. “We'll have to ask Gareth and Madoc what they think. Go get some sleep,” I told her. “We still have a long trip tomorrow and we have to stop another night on the road.”

“We could stop in Arris,” she said.

“Even if we were to leave here at daybreak, we probably couldn't reach Arris before the Second Moon rises. Lady Graham said it's quite a distance. And I don't think we'll be able to leave the keep too early.”

She finally went to her own room and I carefully removed the dress I was wearing. I wondered whether it had belonged to our hosts' daughter. Then I wondered whether Lady Graham was right, that Cedric had poisoned them with bunch berries.

I found a lovely nightdress in the cupboard and put it on, then slid beneath the covers on the bed, and promptly fell asleep, vowing to think of something more pleasant, like whether I'd be able to buy something for Carys for her birthday in Arris using the little money Blane and I still had.

 

Chapter 36.

I'd been right about not leaving early. First of all, Lady Graham insisted we have breakfast with her and Lord Graham. It was probably the best breakfast I'd had since I left the manor. And then Madoc treated the lord's eyes again. They seemed to improve with each application of the salve. He could now see, although not completely clearly. Madoc left the remaining salve with Lady Graham, along with instructions on how to apply it.

Then two of Lord Graham's guards asked permission to speak to him. They'd received word that Cedric had been seen entering Arris at the east gate to the city. Considering that he was coming from the south, it indicated that he was trying to be stealthy about his approach. Lord Graham bade them take a force and scour Arris for the 'scoundrel', as he called him.

Then Lady Graham wouldn't let us go until we'd admired her flower garden, and her cook insisted on showing us how she'd created Carys' cake and loading us down with provisions for the rest of our journey. We had to refuse some of what she had in mind because we knew it would spoil before we could finish it.

I didn't want to leave until I had more of an answer to my questions about Lord and Lady Graham's children. I didn't think I could very well ask Lady Graham again, but the cook seemed very concerned about her.

“Had you ever heard of bunch berries before?” I asked the cook.

She hesitated, wiping her hands on her apron, which she seemed to do often. “Well, miss, there was some talk that was what did Master Quincy and Mistress Annabelle in.”

Carys, who was with us, looked at me in surprise. “You're not thinking that this wasn't the first time Cedric struck!” she said.

“Lady Graham seemed more than a little upset that it was bunch berries,” I said.

“Well, she would be upset, wouldn't she? I mean, Lord Graham is her husband,” Carys argued.

I shook my head. “It was more than that. She told me that Cedric had given her children chocolate covered berries.” I turned to the cook. “Thank you so much,” I told her. “I know we can depend on you to look after your mistress.”

“Oh, aye!” she said. “And the master too.”

By then it was almost time for luncheon, so we didn't get on the road until after we'd eaten once more, loaded our horses down with supplies, and promised to visit the Keep again. At the last minute, Lord Graham insisted we take one of the horses from his stable for Carys. I know she would have been just as happy riding with Blane, but she politely thanked him for his kindness. The horse he selected was a gentle mare in a dun color. It would never replace Carys' Nutmeg, but I could see it was well-suited for her.

The road from the Keep toward Arris was paved, although it was still a narrow country lane. We rode one and two abreast, quiet at first, but then starting to talk about what we'd learned at the Keep.

“From what the cook said, the Grahams' children may have succumbed to bunch berry poisoning,” I told Madoc who rode beside me.

He nodded slightly. “I thought it might be something like that. Lady Graham had obviously dealt with that before.”

“She couldn't have had anything to do with their death, could she?” I asked.

“I doubt it. No, the impressions I got were that she still mourns her children and would never do anything to harm them or her husband.”

“Why didn't Lord Graham know about the berries that might have killed his children?” I asked.

“No idea. Maybe she kept it from him.”

“Do you think she suspected Cedric at the time?” I still had all these questions, and was glad I could talk them over with Madoc.

“That's quite possible,” he said.

Carys and Blane were just ahead of us, also talking quietly with each other. They made a lovely picture, her dark head leaning towards his blond one. My brother suddenly called back to ask where we'd be spending the night.

None of us really knew this road, not even Madoc.

“We'll ride until it gets dark,” Gareth proposed from his position behind everyone else. “It looks like there'll be plenty of places to camp.”

He was right. The road ran straight ahead, and the land on either side of it was a grassy plain dotted with trees. Before long, with branch roads going off in various directions, we passed other people traveling both north and south, and the road started to widen.

We continued on for quite a while, not stopping until the Evening Moon rose, making camp not far away from the road. We had plenty of food for a meal, thanks to the Graham's cook and I prepared as much of a feast as I could. It might not have been as lavish as our dinner the night before at the Keep, but much better than we'd eaten before on the road.

“Carys was asking whether we should call on the King and Queen when we're in Arris,” I told the others as we ate.

“I suppose it would be diplomatic,” Gareth agreed.

I actually hoped he would take his sister to the castle while Blane and I shopped for a gift for her, but I wasn't sure I could arrange that.

We finished eating and cleaned up from our meal, deciding to go to sleep early so we could get an early start. Once more, Madoc took the first shift guarding our camp that night. I took a blanket and went to sit with him for a while. I pulled my knees up and wrapped my arms around them, staring at the fire. Neither of us said anything for a while, but then I began to talk.

“Blane and Carys are truly in love with each other,” I said.

“Yes, we talked about that before,” Madoc reminded me.

“But my brother fears that, since she's a princess, he'll never be allowed to marry her,” I told him.

“My parents would never deny Carys her heart's desire,” he said.

I nodded. “I tried to tell him that, and that he'd have your blessing and Gareth's too.”

“What about Elwyn's?” he asked with a smirk.

“I only saw him for a short time, but I don't think your brother Elwyn likes anyone.”

“Oh, my dear, you are so right!” He chuckled. “But this isn't really what you wanted to talk to me about, is it?”

I looked at his face. The firelight made his dark eyes shine, and he was smiling at me. I forget sometimes how handsome he is. I took a deep breath and let it out. “Madoc, I...I love you.” And then I bit my lip and held my breath.

“Do you really?” he said, his eyes growing large as if it was something he never expected me to admit.

I let out my breath. “I know, of course, that it's ridiculous. I mean, I know you care about me, but you're a wizard and...”

“And 'wizards bed young virgins but only to increase their strength',” he said derisively. “Oh, and 'wizards don't marry', yes that's another one I hear all the time.” He studied me. “Nissa, you know I don't hold with any of the usual beliefs.”

“Well, yes, but...I mean, that isn't what I meant.” I was floundering, certain that I'd said something wrong and that anything else I said would just make it worse.

He laughed, whether at what I'd said or how I said it, I didn't know. “My dearest Nissa, you've grown into an even more wonderful woman than I ever expected.” His arm went around me, pulling me close to him, and I felt sensations I'd only read about in books. He kissed the top of my head, then tilted my chin with his free hand and kissed me on the lips. Was I dreaming? I stopped breathing again, afraid to let the moment go, to break the spell.

When he pulled away again, I think I gasped. “I...I wasn't expecting that.”

He laughed again, even more heartily. “What am I going to do with you? Other than love you with all that is in me.”

“Oh!”

He pulled me close again and held me. I dared to put an arm around his back and lean against him. We were still like that when Gareth came to take Madoc's place.

Gareth just looked at us and chuckled.

Madoc walked me back to where my other blanket and packs were, then stretched out not far from me. I fell asleep, thinking about how good it felt to be enveloped in his arms, the smell of him, the taste of his lips.

When I woke in the morning, Carys was already starting breakfast. I went over to help her, but found she really didn't need any assistance, so instead I checked on the horses. They'd been pampered at the Keep, and didn't have much further to go before they'd be well-cared for again at the manor. I could swear they were smiling at me.

After breakfast, we broke camp, mounted, and headed on. The road to Arris got better and better as we approached the capital. The only times I'd been there before, I'd been coming from Holmdale, and the view of the Castle and surrounding buildings had been impressive, but not as much as coming from the south.

“It's smaller than Fairhaven,” Carys said as we neared. “But the Castle is immense!”

“Do we really have to pay our respects to the King and Queen?” Gareth asked.

I would have thought he felt a need to do that, but it sounded like I was wrong.

“We don't have to,” Madoc replied. “Just stop for lunch at a restaurant and continue on.”

But as we rode into the town, we were approached by two men in the uniform of the palace guards. “Which of you are Prince Gareth and Princess Carys?” one of them asked.

I noticed they hadn't included Madoc.

“Why do you need to know?” Rees asked them.

“His majesty, King Niall requests that the prince and princess join him and Queen Isla for luncheon.”

It was something they couldn't really refuse to do. “By all means,” Gareth said. “I am Prince Gareth, and this young lady is my sister. May we bring the rest of our party?”

But before they could answer I spoke up. “I think I'd like to look for some presents to bring my parents, Donal and Morna.”

“Yes, that's a good idea,” Blane agreed. So my brother and I parted company with the others, promising to meet them near the north gate to the city in two hours.

 

Chapter 37.

I knew Blane hated to be separated from Carys, and I really didn't want to let Madoc out of my sight again, but this would give us an opportunity to look for a birthday gift or two for Carys.

“How much money do we have left?” I asked Blane.

He took out the pouch that held our remaining coins and counted them, although I was sure he knew how much was there down to the copen. “Three jorans and twenty-five copens.”

Even less than I thought. “That won't stretch very far.”

“Especially if we really do want to bring our parents something.”

We left our horses at a combination stable and holding pen near the marketplace. We'd shopped here before, one time when we'd been to Arris with our parents. It consisted of a series of stands, stalls and booths covering the central square of the city. All manner of things were for sale, including clothing, jewelry, weapons, kitchen utensils, and food. I remembered what Madoc said about being able to find anything you wanted in Arris, and this was where most of it was sold.

I saw a booth selling pins, clips and other items for women to adorn their hair. I knew Morna would love some new hairpins, especially if they were pretty ones. She was always playing with her gorgeous red hair. There were some decorated with blue and green and gold stones, not precious jewels but still attractive. The price on the sign was fourteen copens. I hoped that was for a pair. I picked out two for my sister that would look good with those red tresses, and then decided I could also get two for Mother.

Blane touched my mind to remind me, 'You don't have to pay what it says'. He helped me bargain the seller down to twenty copens for the two pair.

I wondered if I should also buy a pair for Carys, and decided to keep that in mind for later, although I was sure she had much finer ones back at the Citadel. First I'd let Blane find something he'd like to buy for her. And we still had to find something for Donal and Father.

It was fun to go from stand to stand, and examine all of the merchandise, but it wasn't until we stopped at a jewelry seller that Blane's eyes opened wide. He'd seen something he wanted to give Carys.

He lifted a fine chain with a brooch hanging from it. The brooch was made with delicately worked silver and contained a red stone in the middle. The stone caught the light and shone almost like the Crimson Orb had.

“It's lovely!” I said. Then I saw the price, five jorans. I shouldn't have been surprised it was that much since the stone was quite fine, but I knew that Blane already had his heart set on buying it. 'Maybe I can return the hairpins,' my mind suggested to him.

'We still wouldn't have nearly enough,' was the reply I received.

I wondered if he dared to try to influence the seller into letting him have the brooch for much less, but I thought he'd hesitate, thinking it was unethical. Then I sensed a presence next to me. I didn't even have to look to my side to know it was Madoc.

“That is quite beautiful,” he said.

“Blane wants to buy it as a birthday gift for Carys,” I told him.

“There's a similar one at a booth down that way,” Madoc said loudly, looking at the asking price. “And it's only three jorans.”

Blane was about to say he wanted this one, but the seller took Madoc's statement as a dare. “I can sell you this one for two jorans and seventy copens.” He obviously didn't want to lose the sale.

“Two and fifty,” Madoc offered.

I could see the seller think this over. He didn't seem to have any other customers, and I'm sure that helped him decide. “Sold.”

Blane handed over our last three joran and took back his change while the man wrapped the brooch in paper.

As the three of us walked away, Blane told Madoc, “Thank you. We didn't have very much money.”

“I expected as much,” Madoc said.

“Did you really see another?” I asked him. I suspected that was just a bargaining ploy.

He grinned at me, but didn't answer. “Have you finished your shopping?”

“Not yet,” I said. “We still need something for our father and Donal.”

“How much do you have left?” he asked us.

“Fifty five copens,” Blane replied. “Not much at all.”

I hoped Madoc wouldn't offer to give us any more. I might take it, but I knew my brother was too proud. Madoc just nodded and said, “What about knife cases? There are some very good leather ones at a stall at the end of this row. Twenty-five copens each.” So we started in that direction.

As we did, we saw him, Cedric that is, walking along the next row of stalls with a tall blond woman. “We should follow them!” Blane said.

“And do what?” Madoc asked. “Have either of you seen any of Lord Graham's people?”

“I thought I saw Rodrik, the man who played the flute last night,” Blane said. “Over that way.” He pointed behind us.

We went back and looked for him, but he was nowhere in sight.

“I still think we should follow Cedric and that woman,” Blane insisted. “At least to keep an eye on where they go.”

Madoc finally agreed. “And keep your eyes open, look for more of Lord Graham's men.”

We caught sight of Cedric again. We stayed far enough away that he couldn't have noticed us unless he was looking for us. He and the woman seemed to be going from stand to booth to stall, looking for something. I doubted it was more bunch berries, but it was possible.

“Why aren't you at the castle with your brother and sister and Rees?” I asked Madoc.

“King Niall and Queen Isla were only interested in meeting the two of them,” he said. “They'd met me before and hardly noticed that I left.”

“And why did you leave?” Blane asked. “As if I didn't know,” he added with a grin.

I could feel my cheeks redden, but Madoc took my hand in a firm grip as we walked on. Cedric and the woman had left the stall they'd been at and seemed to be empty handed. We continued to keep our eyes on them, and suddenly Blane exclaimed, “There's Rodrik!” He pointed to our left. I saw the top of the man's head, and it looked like Rodrik's sleek black hair.

We made our way to where he was standing with another man. “Rodrik,” Blane called to him when we were close. “We saw Cedric with a tall blond woman.”

Rodrik's eyes opened wide. “Where were they?”

We told him where we'd last seen them and he and his companion hurried off in that direction.

“Do you suppose we should continue to watch them?” I asked.

Madoc shrugged. “It can't hurt.”

So, rather than look for the leather knife holders for Father and Donal, we followed Rodrik and his colleague, and thus, we were there to see him hail Cedric, and Cedric run off as fast as he could. We caught up with Rodrik as he tried to decide whether to pursue Cedric or hold the woman.

“We'll stay with her,” Madoc offered. “Go!”

That was all Rodrik needed to spur him into action. He took off after Cedric with the other man trailing behind him. We stayed and confronted the woman who'd been with Cedric. She was even taller than I'd thought from afar, taller than me. Her blond hair was long and hung loosely down her back.

“Who are you?” Madoc demanded.

“Who wants to know?” she asked with an admiring smile.

He studied her for a minute. “My name is Madoc, and I'm a wizard,” he finally said, watching her face for a reaction.

“And you think that matters to me?” she challenged with a little laugh.

“Just tell us who you are,” Blane said.

“I'm Betha Lady Stafford,” she said. The name was unfamiliar to me, but Madoc started in recognition. “And you? You're a fine-looking specimen of a man, aren't you?” she asked Blane.

Blane was unused to women commenting on his looks, and it could have distracted him, but he knew full well that this woman was up to no good. “Did you provide the bunch berries that Cedric used to poison his uncle?” he asked her.

“Now do I look like someone who'd do a thing like that?” she asked, acting coy.

I saw Madoc roll his eyes. Blane held his ground. “And then there's the matter of the deaths of Cedric's cousins.”

Lady Stafford gave up on him and turned to Madoc. “Two very handsome men indeed. One blond and one with oh such fine black hair.” she stated. “Are you the dark and brooding type, Mr. Wizard? I do so love men like that.”

Madoc grinned. “I never brood.”

I tried to touch his mind, and found that he'd set up some kind of a shield in defense against the woman's attempts to put ideas in his head. I wondered if she'd also tried that with Blane and he'd been able to repel her tries.

Suddenly her eyes went wide. She looked at me for the first time. She'd ignored me until then, concentrating on the two men. She turned back to Madoc. “You can't seriously prefer this little girl to a woman like me!”

“Oh, easily,” Madoc said, still grinning. “You have no idea what or whom you're dealing with. Just admit defeat and tell us what you know about Cedric's plans.”

But she wasn't going to tell us anything if she could help it. She glared at us with her lips pressed together.

“We'll just have to send her back to the Keep with Lord Graham's men,” I said. “I'm sure they'll have ways of getting her to talk.” I wondered, though, whether Madoc was able to tell what she was thinking. Either she was good at guessing or she'd been able to read something in his mind.

Rodrik returned with the other man and Cedric. “Thank you for your assistance,” he said.

“You'll want to take this one, as well,” Madoc said, indicating the tall woman. “I believe she has some vital information.”

Rodrik and his companion called over two more of Lord Graham's men who were nearby, and they led Cedric and Lady Stafford away.

Once they were gone, I asked Madoc who she was.

“Yes, well, I've never met Betha Lady Stafford before, but she is quite well-known,” he replied. “She married Lord Stafford about ten years ago. He was forty years her senior, and some thought it not surprising when he died soonafter. Still, some questioned it. His health had been good. Rumors began to circulate that she'd killed him, but nothing could be proven.”

“Did she do it?” Blane asked.

Madoc shrugged. “No one knows, but since then she's taken several different lovers, all wealthy.”

“And how many of them have died?” I asked. I was sensing a pattern here.

“Mostly she just left each one, and moved on to another.”

“She was trying to get into my mind,” Blane said.

“You did well to resist,” Madoc told him. “Neither of us let her in, but she was able to glean some information from us.”

“Like your feelings for my sister?” Blane asked with a grin.

“I make no pretense about it,” Madoc said, grinning back and taking my hand again.

I grew warm all over and needed to change the topic. “So where was this leathersmith you spoke of earlier?”

“Over there,” Madoc said, indicating a stall not far away. “He tans his own hides, then fashions and burnishes them to create some very nice things.”

The man, short and heavyset, with just a fringe of black hair around his scalp, greeted Madoc by name. “It's wonderful to see thee again, Master Madoc!”

“Ger, these are very good friends of mine from Holmdale and they are seeking knife cases as gifts for their father and brother,” he told the man.

“Then I have just the things for 'em.” Ger began to rummage under his display table and brought out a few knife cases. Each had a different design cut into it.

“How do you do that?” Blane asked.

“There are all sorts of tools we use,” Ger replied, only too happy to demonstrate how he executed his craft. He took out a plain piece of leather and an assortment of odd-shaped tools. “These are stamps we use to impress a pattern on the leather, and this is an awl, used to puncture it for decoration or sewing. Now this here is a dye that we use to change the color of a section.” He pointed to a small bottle containing a brownish liquid. “I use this mallet with the stamps, and this needle to sew pieces together.”

I'd never really thought about the leather items we used. They were just there. But it seemed that they required a lot of work. “I like this knife case,” I said, picking up one of the ones he'd shown us. It had a pattern of diamonds and triangles forming the shape of a horse, cut deep into the leather. The detail on the pattern was very fine. “How much is it?”

“That one's thirty copens.”

“Oh,” I said, disappointed. I couldn't bring myself to bargain with him, not when I knew how much work it took to make each case.

“Do you have any that are twenty copens?” Blane asked.

“This one's twenty-five,” the leather worker said, pointing to one with a simpler leaf pattern. “And this one is twenty-eight.” The second was a pattern of chevrons that formed the shape of a sword.

“Forty-five for both,” Blane offered.

“Forty-seven and you have a deal,” Ger said.

Blane looked at Madoc, then at me before replying. “OK,” he finally said.

They were certainly nicer than anything my father or brother had, and I knew they'd be thrilled with them. But then I felt we hadn't spent enough for Mother and Morna.

We took our purchases and, on the way to collect our horses, Madoc bought us each a kind of meat pie. The sun was halfway to the western horizon and it was time to leave Arris if we wanted to reach the Manor before dark. We rode to the northern gate, arriving just as Gareth, Carys and Rees did.

 

Chapter 38.

“Did you find what you were looking for?” Carys asked as we passed through the gate and onto the road north.

“Yes, we did.” Blane said with a smile. “And how was luncheon with the King and Queen?”

“They were stuffy and boring!” she pronounced. “But we did what we had to and were as polite as possible about it.”

“We helped Lord Graham's men capture Cedric and the woman he was with,” I told her.

“That would have been more interesting,” Gareth said. “Where were they?”

We told them all that had transpired in the marketplace. “Really, we didn't do much but point Rodrik and the man with him in the right direction,” I said.

“Still, I think I would have preferred that to luncheon with the King and Queen,” Carys said.

“Was it that bad?” Blane asked her.

She grimaced and confirmed, “Yes it was.”

“They talked incessantly about the Crimson Orb, asking why we hadn't remained in Meecham to find it,” Gareth said. “But we kept our silence, just as we'd all decided.”

As we rode closer to home, I began to realize how much I missed the people and the place.

We rode into Holmdale before sunset and directly to the Manor buildings. Derwin, the man in charge of the stable, took our horses to be rubbed down and fed, and we walked over to the front door of the Manor house. Entering, the first people we met were my parents.

“Blane! Nissa! You're back!” my mother exclaimed. “Madoc too!” She embraced us each in turn. “We had word that you would be back after you found Madoc.”

As I began to introduce my parents to our traveling companions, Duke Alec appeared, and I had to start all over again. “This is Madoc's brother, Prince Gareth, and his sister, Princess Carys, and this is Rees, one of Gareth's men.”

“We will make rooms available for you all! Uh, your highnesses.” the Duke said, bowing slightly, but it was clear he wasn't prepared for their visit and was unsure how to address them.

Carys, Gareth and Rees were quickly taken away to get settled, with the Duke accompanying them, calling for the Duchess to make sure they had everything they wanted, and Madoc going along, too, to prevent the Duke and Duchess from overdoing it. He winked at me as he walked away.

My mother watched them go and then asked, “How did you find Madoc? Have you been on the road all this time? Are you all right? Where did you meet Madoc's brother and sister? Who is the man with them?”

I laughed. “Slow down and we'll tell you all about our adventures.” Before I could begin, however, Morna came flying at me.

“Nissa, you're back!” She engulfed me in a big hug. “And Blane! We've missed you so much!”

“We missed you too,” Blane told her.

The truth was I hadn't thought about my family all that much, partly because I'd been too caught up in what was happening every single minute we were away, but also partly because I'd made an effort not to think of them. Whenever I did, I'd felt such a longing for everyone that I couldn't bear it.

“But we're home now,” I told her.

“Is Madoc with you?” she asked.

“Yes. He's just gone to get his brother and sister settled in,” I told her. “Did you know that his parents are the King and Queen of the East Islands?” I asked her, linking my arm with hers.

She was completely shocked. “But...but that makes him a prince!” she sputtered.

I laughed. “Yes it does. His brother, Prince Gareth, is a little older and head of a kind of royal guard,” I began to explain to my parents and Morna. “It's a security force for the royal family. And Rees, one of his men, has been traveling with us, too.” This wasn't the time to tell my family about Colm. “And their sister, Carys, is my age. She's very nice, I know you'll like her.” I glanced at Blane. I'd leave it to him to tell them about his attachment to the princess.

“Well, you two must be tired,” Mother said. “You'll want to rest a bit before dinner and then you can tell us all about your adventures.”

I was happy to retire with Morna at my side. I wanted to wash and change my clothes more than to lie down. Over the past few weeks, I'd been wearing the same clothes, except for the evening at the Citadel, and the one at the Keep. They were fairly clean at least, thanks to Lady Graham's laundress, but I wanted to wear something else for a change.

As I unpacked and changed, Morna peppered me with questions. I put her off by telling her she'd hear the whole story at dinner when Blane and I told the rest of the family.

An hour later we entered the hall to find most of the rest of the Manor's inhabitants already seated. They'd come out in force, curious about the visitors. Word had spread fast, indeed. Madoc, Gareth, Carys and Rees were at a table with the Duke and Duchess and their family, and Morna and I joined our own family at a nearby table.

It was the first time I'd seen Donal since I'd been back. It appeared his arm and leg were still giving him some trouble, but he was as eager as everyone to hear our tale.

Blane started the narrative. “We went due east. People we met had seen Madoc traveling that way, it seems everyone knows him, but no one had seen him come back. When we reached the Great Sea at East Harbor, we took passage to Fairhaven, hoping that Madoc's family would have some idea where he'd gone.”

“But that letter that arrived here from his mother indicated that she thought he'd come back to the Manor,” Mother said.

“Well, we knew that, but it was possible he'd told someone of a stop or a detour he wanted to make,” I explained.

“There were pirates and ruda, and Nissa turned out to be a wonderful cook, but we'll tell you about that another time,” Blane went on. “We finally landed at Fairhaven and set out for the Citadel. We'd been told that was where Madoc's family lived, and that's when we found out they were royalty.”

“And they knew where Madoc might be?” Mother prompted.

“Not in the least,” he replied and then went on to tell them how Gareth found out that Evans and his men had abducted Madoc. “Gareth decided to come with us, and Carys insisted on coming too. We crossed back to East Harbor on a royal ship, then headed south. Evans and his men were going to Meecham to join the other people who were searching for the Crimson Orb.”

“We heard about that, the quest for the Orb, I mean,” Morna said.

“After several days we reached Meecham,” he went on, skipping over more of our adventures, “And eventually found Madoc and rescued him.”

“Did you find the Orb?” Morna asked.

Blane and I exchanged a look. We'd all sworn we wouldn't tell anyone about where the Orb was. I guess that included our family. We stuck to what we'd told the Grahams. “No one's found the Orb in Meecham.”

As we took turns telling them more of our experiences, I looked at them all and then over to the Duke's table. We were finally home, back with our family. It had been a quest filled with adventure and danger, but I'd also learned a lot of new things, including some about myself.

“Oh, and we brought you all some gifts from the marketplace in Arris,” I said. Blane and I gave them the knife cases and hairpins, and they were all very happy with their presents.

After dinner, a large group of people crowded around Gareth and Carys, but Madoc made his way over to us. “Gareth and Rees will be leaving tomorrow or the next day, but they've agreed to let Carys stay for a while,” he told us. “I assured my brother she'd be well-cared for here.”

“Of course she will,” Mother said. “I gather she and Nissa have become close friends.”

I smiled. It was true of course.

“Oh, and we have news for you!” Morna said. “Glynis and Adair are getting married!”

I hadn't thought about what might have happened at the Manor while we were gone. “What else have we missed while we were away?”

Morna began to tell me all sorts of things, mostly trivial. But eventually she insisted on joining those talking to Gareth and Carys, and Blane, Donal and my parents went with her.

Madoc watched them go, then reached into a pocket. “I didn't want to forget to give this to you,” he said as he handed me something wrapped in paper. It was a brooch on a silver chain, similar to the one Blane bought for Carys except it had a blue stone in it.

“Oh, Madoc, you didn't have to buy me anything!” I exclaimed.

“I missed your birthday,” he started to explain. “And anyway, I wanted to get you something for coming to rescue me.”

“I didn't do it alone,”I protested, but my eyes were fixed on the brooch. “This is so lovely!”

He helped me put it on. I didn't know what the future would hold. One thing I'd learned was that there were no certainties in life. But I hoped that, wherever the future took me, I'd be facing it with my family and with Madoc.

I smiled at him and saw him smile right back at me. I did my best not to blush.

My parents returned with Morna, and Madoc asked them, “Where are Blane and Donal?”

“Donal wanted to show Blane the new colt he's been working with,” my father replied. “He'll probably insist on showing him to both of you tomorrow, too.”

I could see that Carys, Gareth and Rees were still with the Duke's family. I caught Carys' eyes looking toward us rather longingly.

Madoc followed my gaze and chuckled. “They won't let them go,” he said. “At first I think that Carys was pleased to be asked to Adair and Glynis' wedding. It's another excuse for her to stay at the Manor when Gareth leaves.”

“And now?” Mother asked.

“They're all fawning over them. Kerr seems to have taken a fancy to Carys.”

“Well, good luck to him!” I said, chuckling.

Madoc nodded. “And Lorena has set her cap on Gareth. I think it's the uniform.”

I smiled. Now that Gareth and Rees were back in uniform they both looked even more handsome than ever. But I knew some things that neither Kerr nor Lorena did. I watched Carys' face. She was trying to be gracious and smile, but I didn't have to touch her mind to know she was thinking that, if she had to do that much longer, her face would crack. “Perhaps we should rescue Carys,” I said.

Madoc smiled at me. “Perhaps you should.”

I reached up and touched his shoulder, then walked off toward Carys. Morna came with me.

“Do you mind if I come along?” she asked.

“No, not at all.”

We reached the royal group and I took Carys' hand. “We still have to talk to cook about those cookies,” I said. It was the first thing I could think of.

“Oh, yes!” she said, a grin spreading across her face. She turned to the Duke's family and Glynis. “Excuse me please!”

“What kind of cookies?” Glynis was the only one to ask.

“They're a treat we had in Meecham,” Carys explained. “Everyone loved them! You should serve them at the wedding.”

“If we can work out the recipe with Cook,” I said, and Carys and I walked toward the kitchens with Morna tagging along.

 

 

Chapter 39.

“Are there really such cookies?” Morna asked just before we entered the kitchen.

“Oh, yes,” Carys said. “They're two rather plain cookies with a kind of jam between them. And then they're iced all over.”

“It was the first thing I could think of to get you away from them all,” I told her.

She nodded. “Thank you! If I spent another minute with Lorena, I think I'd scream.”

“No you wouldn't,” I said with a smile. “You're much too nice!”

Carys laughed.

We found Cook cleaning up the leftover food, placing the perishables in the two large cold boxes, and wrapping the rest tightly in the special paper she had. She'd told us it was protection against the air and other things that would make the food deteriorate before she had a chance to use it in other dishes.

“Cook, have you met Princess Carys?” I asked.

“Your Highness,” Cook said, curtsying.

“Please, call me Carys,” my friend said with a smile. “And thank you for a wonderful dinner.”

“Carys and I wanted to talk to you about something,” I went on. I spied cookies she'd served at dinner and picked one up. “I think these will do,” I said with a smile. “We had some delicious cookies during our trip.”

“Yes,” Carys said. “And they were made with two just like those but with a kind of fruit jam between them.”

“Well, no one much cared for these tonight,” Cook said with a frown.

I bit into the one in my hand. It wasn't bad, but I think the icing on the outside of the ones used in Meecham cookies made a big difference. Carys and I described what they were like and told Cook we'd help her experiment on the morrow.

“So, you'll be acoming to cooking class with Nissa, Morna and t'other gals?” Cook asked Carys with surprise.

“Oh, yes!” Carys said. “I want to learn all I can about cooking!”

Cook glared at me. “You'd be wise to take the princess's lead,” she told me.

“Don't worry,” I replied. “In fact, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for all you've taught me in the past. It served me well on our journey.”

“You be sayin' you actually cooked sommat?” Cook asked, incredulously.

I laughed. “Oh, yes! But the one with real talent is Carys. She always had a great twist on whatever soup or stew I made.” It was a bit of an exaggeration, of course, but she had suggested the addition of the berries to the stew that one time, and she seemed to have a good eye for finding plants and herbs that went well with the food we cooked.

“We had to improvise a lot,” Carys said.

Cook was still studying me skeptically when we took leave of her. As we walked back to the living quarters of the manor, Morna asked, “Did you really cook? I mean you mentioned it earlier, but I can't believe...”

I nodded. “Even used a recipe book or two. I have a new appreciation for anything that comes out of Cook's kitchen.”

“I just hope she can get those cookies right,” Carys said. “Morna, they're amazing! You'll love them!”

As we walked through the hallways of the manor, Carys took the time to look around. “It's very pleasant here,” she said.

“Well, we don't have the amenities of the Citadel, or the Graham's Keep, but, yes, it is very comfortable,” I admitted. Seeing the place through Carys's eyes gave me a new appreciation of the place I'd called home all of my life.

“You two have to tell me all about the places you've been,” Morna coaxed. “I'll probably never go anywhere!”

“That's how I felt when Nissa came to the Citadel and I heard about her adventures up until then,” Carys said.

“Morna, it was exciting, interesting too, to see different places, but it was fraught with peril.” I exchanged a look with Carys. “I don't think you would have liked the Frozen Tundra, or sleeping on the ground even when it was warm.”

“Well, maybe not,” Morna replied. She seemed to consider what I was saying. “Still, some day...”

I put an arm around her. “I really did miss you.”

“And now you're home. I guess you won't be leaving again any time soon,” she said hopefully.

“No. I think I'll just relax and enjoy things here for a while,” I said. “We've got Glynis' wedding to prepare for. And there's so much I want to show Carys.”

“Nissa, you have warned her about Kerr, haven't you?” Morna asked.

“What do you mean?” Carys asked.

“Well, it was obvious he can't take his eyes off you!” Morna chuckled. “And Lorena is quite taken with your brother.”

“Madoc?” Carys looked at me for my reaction to that.

“No, of course not,” Morna replied.

“What do you mean, 'of course not'?” I asked, stopping suddenly to face her.

“Well, I mean, Madoc? He's...he's wonderful in his own way, but hardly the type of man who'd turn Lorena's head. No, I meant Gareth.”

“It's the uniform,” I said with a laugh.

“It doesn't hurt!” Morna said.

I sighed dramatically. “Poor Kerr, and poor Lorena!” I said, shaking my head, but I couldn't keep from grinning.

“What do you mean?”

“Gareth is betrothed,” Carys told Morna.

“Oh!” my sister said with her own big grin. “Yes, poor Lorena!” she added sarcastically. “And what about you, Carys?”

I exchanged a look with Carys. It was up to her to decide how much to tell Morna or anyone else, but I was sure they'd catch on before long. All they'd have to do was to watch Carys and Blane when they were together.

Carys bit her lip and was just about to say something when Blane, Donal and Madoc came around the next corner. Blane's face lit up at the sight of her, and hers did too. Carys didn't have to say anything after all.

“We were looking for you three,” Donal said.

Blane cleared his throat. “Um, Carys, I have something to give you. It's a birthday gift,” he said, then rushed to add, “From me and Nissa, actually.” He took the package out of his pocket and handed it to her.

We all watched as she unwrapped it and saw her eyes go wide and her mouth curve up in a smile when she saw the chain and the brooch. “Oh, Blane, it's beautiful!” The stone caught the light of a nearby sconce.

“I...we got it at the market in Arris,” Blane added.

“Wait, did you say it was Carys' birthday?” Morna asked.

“Yesterday,” I said. “Carys was eighteen yesterday.”

“Oh! Happy Birthday, Princess Carys!” Morna said, with a cheeky curtsy. “We'll have to celebrate.” Did I ever say how much my sister loves parties?

So we had to tell her about how the Duke and Duchess had provided a birthday dinner for Carys, but it wouldn't deter Morna. “We'll have to tell Cook to make something truly special tomorrow!”

We all agreed it would be a splendid idea. But right now, it was getting late, so we walked Carys to her room, and Blane, Donal and Madoc waved good bye as they went off to their own.

As Morna and I entered our chamber, she finally asked what I knew had been on her mind since she saw Carys and Blane together. “So, Carys and our brother?” She was grinning.

I nodded.

“And that's what you meant when you said 'poor Kerr'.”

“They've become quite fond of each other,” I said. I wondered, though, whether my sister had noticed the attachment that had formed between Madoc and me.

But it wasn't until I began to undress, and she saw the brooch I was wearing under my dress that she asked, “Isn't that like the one Blane gave Carys? Did he buy one for you too?”

I wasn't going to lie to her. “No. Madoc bought that for me. He...he'd missed my birthday, you see.”

Morna's eyes narrowed and I could see her mind working through this new piece of information. “And blue is for prosperity and happiness,” she said. Still, she didn't say anything else, and at last we went to bed.

As tired as I was, I didn't fall asleep right away. Everything that had happened over the past few weeks played through my mind as I settled into my own bed. I'd seen and learned all manner of things, and it had probably changed me.

No one knew what would happen in the future, but for now I was safely home with my family and friends around me. I wrapped my hand around the brooch from Madoc. Let others continue to search for the Crimson Orb, in the hopes that it would bring them prosperity and happiness, wealth and power. I knew better, and I also knew that no one needed a talisman of any sort to obtain true happiness. I smiled as I finally drifted off.


End file.
